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BV  3270  .M37  1860 
Mason,  Ellen  B. 
Tounghoo  women 


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ANSON  D.  F.  RANDOLPH,  PUBLISHER,  683  BROADWAY. 
1860. 


SECOND  EDITION. 


REMARKS. 


When  the  mission  was  first  established  in  Tounghoo,  six  years 
ago,  not  a  Karen  female  conlcl  read  a  syllable.  Now  many  hun- 
dreds can  read,  and  fifty  young  women  are  fitting  themselves  for 
teachers,  twelve  of  whom  have  already  branch  schools  upon  the 
mountains. 

VVhen  the  work  was  begun,  the  people  ridiculed  tlie  proposi- 
ioii  of  instructing  girls  in  books.  Now  the  chiefs  themselves 
select  the  girls,  bring  them  down,  feed  them,  clothe  them,  sup- 
ply their  books,  and  find  tiiem  places  for  teaching. 

When  this  work  Avas  begun,  the  chiefs  scoffed  at  the  idea  of 
girls  becoming  teachers.  Now  there  is  the  loudest  call  for  them 
all  over  the  mountains,  robber  chiefs  even  promising  their  sup- 
port. 

When  this  work  was  begun,  the  Karens  had  not  a  foot  of 
land  to  rest  them  on,  when  they  came  down  from  the  mountains. 
Now  they  have  a  beautiful  place  of  thirty  acres,  with  a  large 
handsome  institution,  and  a  pretty  settlement,  all  their  own, 
close  to  the  town. 

Wlien  this  work  was  begun,  I  had  to  support  the  men  v.'liile 
clearing  the  ground  for  the  school-house.  Now  these  saineciiiel's 
have  brought  in  more  than  3000  rupees  for  the  girls'  school,  and 
a  young  men's  school  on  the  same  land. 

When  the  work  was  beauu,  I  had  to    measure    out    our   own 


IV.  REMARKS. 

rice,  meal  by  meal,  to  persuade  them  to  remain  over  Sunday. 
The  same  chief  have  supported  tliemselves  week  after  week,  to 
enjoy  the  privilege  of  coming  in  at  night  to  study  the  word  of 
God. 

When  this  work  was  begun,  the  women  presented  the  strong- 
est barrier,  opposing  bitterly  their  girls  leaving  the  paddy  field 
to  learn  books. 

Now  these  same  women  work  day  and  niglit  to  prepare  dresses 
for  them,  and  come  trooping  down  from  the  mountains  loaded 
with  thatch  for  their  cook-house  and  dormitories. 

It  is  just  such  a  work  and  just  such  labors  that  are  needed  for 
the  Burmese  and  Shan  women  of  Tounghoo. 

ELLEN  B.  MASON. 


The  undersigned  approve  of  the  Ladies  of  America  undertak- 
ing the  Female  Department  of  this  work  for  the  Burmese  and 
Shan  women  of  Tounghoo,  in  connection  with  the  Tounghoo 
Missionaries. 


Ur.  Tyxg  writes  that  lie  '•'  has  read  witli  interest  Mia.  Mason's  statements,  and 
begs  to  enclose  a  small  contribution  from  his  ladies  towards  its  accomplishment." 
Dr.  Tyiig  says,  he  gives  the  plan  his  hearty  co-operation,  provided  (here  be 
nothing  done  that  shall  interf'eie  with  tin-  deiiominalion  now  in  charge  cfthe  field. 

Dr.  Brigiiam  writes  :  "  As  an  individual,  and  not  in  my  official  character  or  sta- 
tion, I  most  cheerfully  commend  the  above  object,  after  repeated  interviews  with 
Mrs.  Mason." 

J.    (;.    liKlCUAM,     I).   D. 

J.  A.  McNeil,  D.  D. 
Samukl  1.   Prlvii-    D.  D 


SIGNATURES.  V. 

Du.  Hallock  saj-s  "  he  most  freely,  as  an  individual  and  not  in  any  official  ca- 
pacity, rceoniniends  the  proposed  plan  to  the  ladies  of  Anfierica." 

T.  C.  DoREMUs,  Esq.,  "  cordially  recommends  it  to  the  approbation  of  the  ladies 
and  gentlemen." 

Wm.  H.  Wyckoff,  L.  L.  D.,  and  Thomas  Armitage,  D.  D.,  '  warmly  recom- 
mend the  object  to  the  ladies,  and  suggest  that  they  take  hold  of  tlie  work  in  any 
way  that  they  can  arrange  among  themselves." 

D.  C.  Hayes,  D.  D.,  writes  :  "  It  gives  me  pleasure  to  say  that  1  trust  your  appeal 
toChristian  ladies  in  behalf  of  the  women  in  the  large  and  needy  field  of  your  labors 
in  a  heathen  land,  will  not  be  in  vain.  1  am  sure  it  will  do  <>ur  ladies  good  to  give, 
and  that  a  good  use  will  be  made  of  their  charities." 

Dr.  Willams  writes : 

"  To  Mrs.  Mason  : 
"  My  dear  Madam — The  Karen    Mission,    under  the   chaige  of  your   lionoieil 
husband  and  his  fellow-laborers,  is  probably  one  of  the  most  blessed  in  all  the  field 
of  modern  Missions. 

"  Your  labors  to  found  Schools,  and  to  send  Bible-Readers  especially  among  the 
women  of  the  Tounghoos  of  this  great  field,  need  not  divert  any  contributions  from 
the  support  of  Missionary  Preachers  and  Translators,  and  are,  I  think,  worthy  of  all 
sympathy,  and  I  do  most  heartily  wish  them  abundant  and  continued  success. 

"  Very  respectfully, 

"  William  R.  Williams, 
Pastor  of  Amity  street  Baptist  Church,  N.  Y.  City." 

"  In  the  foregoing  views  of  Dr.  Williams  I  most  cheerfully  concur. 

"  Benjamin  M.  Hill. 
"  August  3d,  18b0." 


George  Gault,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  says:     "I  recommend  the  above  object  to 
the  ladies." 


MS^   S^Sf  with  amber-paved  valley  and  glade, 
In  sapphires  and  rubies,  and  emeralds  arrayed  ; 

Whose  picturesque  bowers 

Light  tremble  with  showers. 

Of  sweet  troxjic  flowers  ; 
Whose  minstrel  cicadas  and  bulbuuls  are  singing, 
And  brio-ht  trailing  rivers  o'er  <i;old  sands   are  rimrino; 
Where,  where  is  thy  virtuous  maid  ? 

Though  soft  they  recline 

Amid  perfumes  divine. 

And  tho'  brilliant  their  eyes 

As  their  orient  skies, 
Thy  daughters  are  blighted,  corrupted  their  bloom. 
Like  the  tints  that  luxuriate  over  the  tomh. 


TdlFl^SdD, 


TouNGHOo  is  the  capital  of  an  ancient  kingdom,  a  principality 
of  Ava.  It  is  about  eighty  miles  in  extent,  from  East  to  West, 
and  one  hundred  from  North  to  South,  covering  an  area  of  some 
8000  square  miles.  It  is  about  sixty  miles  East  of  Prome,  and 
100  West  of  Siam.  It  lies  in  the  valley  of  the  Sittaug  river,  a 
rich  level  rice  country,  with  a  range  of  mountains  looming  up  on 
the  East,  in  some  parts  said  to  be  seven  and  eight  thousand  feet, 
and  another  lower  range  on  the  West.  Beyond  these  mountains 
on  the  right  flows  the  Salwen,  and  on  the  left  the  Irriwaddy, 

The  Burmese  of  this  old  Principality,  in  many  respects  differ 
from  those  of  Martaban  or  Tenasserion.  They  are  a  taller  more 
athletic  race,  more  haughty  and  independent.  There  were  a 
great  number  of  Chiefs  or  Khans  in  Tounghoo,  when  the  English 
took  possession,  but  only  a  few  submitted  to  the  foreign  govern- 
ment. About  sixty,  it  was  said,  fled  away  to  the  North,  and 
stockaded  about  sixty  miles  north  of  the  city.  Here  they  con- 
tinued for  a  long  time,  carrying  on  their  guerilla  warfare  and 
plundering  the  disarmed  inhabitants  of  the  land.  A  few  weeks 
after  I  entered  the  city,  their  banditti  gang  came  right  under 
the  English  guns,  robbed  one  man,  shot  another  in  the  bazaar, 
and  led  off  a  poor  woman  at  the  end  of  a  long  noose.  Hearing 
the  noise  about  midnight,  I  rushed  on  to  the  verandah,  en- 
quiring the  cause,  when  the  marauders  instantly  fired  and  hur- 
ried on. 


b  TOUNGHOO. 

Signal  guns  were  shot  fast  and  quick.  Drums  were  rolling, 
torches  glaring,  and  Sepoys  flying  in  every  direction,  but  not  a 
stray  robber  could  they  find.  Those  old  Chiefs  knew  too  well 
"  the  way  to  the  woods."  Every  palm  tree,  every  reed,  every 
tumbling  brick  they  knew  as  well  as  their  children's  faces,  while 
the  black  Sepoy-strangers,  what  did  they  know  ?  They 
might  stumble  over  half  a  dozen  Burmans  and  take  them  for 
heaps  of  rubbish. 

The  historical  tradition  of  old  Tounghoo  is  that  it  was  founded 
by  Mauniep'ga  Karens,  about  six  hundred  years  ago. 

It  was  at  one  time  conquered  by  the  Portuguese,  but  the  Bur- 
mese King  came  down  upon  them,  took  the  Portuguese  Gover- 
nor and  crucified  him  in  Syriam  near  Rangoon.  From  that  time 
Tounghoo  remained  a  Princi])ality  of  Ava,  being  governed  by  the 
Prince  Royal  until  it  was  taken  by  the  British  in  1853. 

When  it  was  announced  that  the  "  white  barbarians  "  were 
marching  full  upon  Tounghoo,  the  infatuated  priests  rushed  forth 
with  their  torches  in  every  direction,  and  their  magnificent  carved 
monasteries,  the  work  of  centuries,  were  burned  to  the  ground, 
leaving  only  the  tall  scathed  palm-trunks  to  mark  their  broad 
boundaries. 

The  nations  of  Burmah  resolve  themselves  into  two  distinct 
classes — those  which  have  accepted  Buddhism,  and  those  which 
have  not.  The  Buddhist  nations  at  home  in  Burmah  are  the 
Talaings  and  the  Burmese,  distinguished  from  the  others  by  pos- 
sessing a  written  language  and  literature,  a  religious  priesthood, 
a  monarchial  government,  and  that  advanced  civilization  of  the 
mind,  producing  a  marked  distinction  between  them  and  the  ut- 
terly uncultured  tribes.  Tounghoo  city  is  inhabited  by  Burmese 
and  Talaings.  There  are  also  many  Shans  and  Kyens  on  the 
lowlands.  But  the  mountains  are  held  by  Karens,  of  whom 
there  are  seven  tribes  or  clans  found  in  this  region. 

This  province  was  supposed  to  ]>(•  utidcr  the  special  guardian- 
ship of  four  Chief  Nats,  who  dwelt  in  little  temples  in  each  cor- 
ner of  the  kingdom.  Then  there  were  many  more  assistant  Nats 
who  aided  in  conducting  the  afRiirs  of  the  State,  and  they  had 
one  most  curious  place  of  rendezvous — a  grove-temple  in  the 
northwest  angle  of  the  city.  I  was  walking  one  evening  near 
what  appeared  to  be  a  pretty  wood,  when  I  saw  a  woman   raise 


NAT    TEMPLE.  7 

something'  which  looked  like  a  thick  branch,  and  disappear.  I 
instantly  attempted  to  follow,  but  my  arm  was  respectfully  yet 
firmly  stayed  by  a  native  Burman,  a  stranger. 

''  Don't  go  !  "  he  said  eagerly,  "  Don't  go,  you'll  die  !  " 

This,  of  course,  awakened  curiosity,  and  I  insisted  on  enter- 
ing, stepping  immediately  in,  knowing  the  crowd  would  soon  pre- 
vent me.  Seeing  hoiror  depicted  on  every  face,I  stood  back  quietly, 
telling  them  I  would  not  injure  the  Nats,  and  they  could'nt  me,  be- 
cause Jesus  Christ  was  my  protector,  and  he  was  much  greater 
than  all  the  Nats.  It  was  the  most  unique  little  temple  I  ever 
saw  ;  about  twenty- five  feet  square,  built  entirely  of  trees,  which 
grew  in  just  that  form,  with  trunks  some  two  feet  in  girth,  and 
brim  full  of  branches  which  were  wreathed,  laced  and  interlaced, 
twined  and  intertwined,  clear  up,  forming  an  almost  impenetra- 
ble wall,  and  a  thick,  close,  beautiful  dome  above,  about  thirty 
feet  high.  It  must  have  been  the  work  of  fifty  years,  I  should 
think  certainly,  and  in  the  centre  was  a  platform,  on  which  stood 
six  carved  images,  three  males  and  three  females,  one  with  seve- 
ral arms,  holding  a  spear  and  other  emblems  of  power  It  was 
a  house  dedicated  to  the  goddess  of  Child-birth,  perhaps  the 
i^or/iowes  of  the  Celts.  The  place  was  held  most  sacred,  and 
offerings  constantly  made  there  by  the  women  of  Tounghoo,  pre- 
vious to  the  birth  of  any  child.  As  I  stood  and  talked  to  them 
there,  under  Nature's  own  canopy,  a  holy  fear,  an  indescrib- 
able awe,  seemed  to  hover  over  them,  and  they  asked,  in  all  sim- 
plicity : 

''  Who  is  this  Jesus  Christ  ?  If  we  worship  him,  cannot 
these  Nats  harm  us  ?      Will  not  our  children  be  deformed  ?" 

Assuring  them  Christ  could  and  would  protect  them,  I  urged 
all  who  desired  his  protection  to  come  to  my  house  the  next  day- 
They  came  to  the  number  of  thirty,  and  every  one  gave  in  their 
names  as  determined  to  worship  Jesus  Christ.  How  sincere  they 
may  have  been,  I  cannot  say.  The  next  time  I  walked  around 
this  corner  of  the  city,  which  was  not  until  two  years,  the  Nat 
grove-temple  was  gone.  Not  a  vestige  remained.  It  was  hewed 
doAvn  without  doubt,  by  these  very  women  who  had  so  long  cher- 
ished it  as  their  holiest  shrine.  This  does  not  look  as  if  the  wo- 
men of  Tounghoo  were  the  most  hardened  idolaters,  and  1  fully 
believe,  could  they  have  the  light,  and  be  made    to    understand, 


8  AVOONKADAU. 

they  would  gladly  receive  the  truth  ;  at  least,  that  many  would 
do  so,  like  the  women  ot"  Thvatira. 


One  day  the  Woonkadau  came,  with  her  suite,  to  pay  res- 
pects. This  Tounghoo  lady  was  some  sixty  years  of  age — her  sil- 
very white  hairs  combed  smoothly  up  from  an  ample  forehead, 
her  black  eyes  keenly  glancing  beneath  highly  arched  brows — 
her  tinirers  wmmed  with  the  nine  magic  stones  of  Burmah — her 
almost  white  feet  slipped  loosely  into  light  scarlet  sandals — her 
person  attired  in  a  beautiful  silk  robe  of  modest  pink  and  white 
checks,  but  open  in  front  after  the  Burman  fasliion,  with  a  wide 
crimson  cincture  around  the  bust.  Over  this  a  delicate  lawn 
inga,  or  jacket,  open,  with  long  floating  lappets  on  either  side  ; 
and  above  all,  gracefully  flowing  over  the  left  shoulder,  a  richly 
wrought  white  lace  mantle.  Imagine  such  a  figure,  and  you 
have  before  you  a  Woonkadau  of  Tounghoo,  or  former  governor's 
favorite  wife,  as  she  appeared  when  she  ]mid  me  a  visit,  with 
her  suite,  soon  after  iny  arrival. 

There  were  seven  or  eight  ladies  in  her  train,  all  with  the  hair 
exc^uisitely  dressed,  straight  over  the  forehead,  with  a  curious 
half  curl,  the  smallest  in  the  world,  caressing  each  side,  and  the 
large  knot  behind  encircled  with  orchids,  or  fragrant  screw-pine. 
The  screw-pine  is  really  fascinating  ;  indeed,  I  believe  it  is  the 
very  prettiest  head-dress  in  Burmah.  Screw-pine  flowers  some- 
what resemble  corn  flowers  in  the  sheath,  and  are  deliciously  fra- 
grant. They  are  often  a  cubit  in  length,  and  as  large  as  the 
lar<''est  ear  of  corn,  but  small  ones  are  chosen  for  the  hair.  The 
flower  and  sheath  are  both  a  light  straw  color  ;  and  the  sheath, 
or  a  part  of  it,  is  neatly  separated  into  threads,  so  put  on  as  to 
fall  gracefully  back  over  the  knot,  with  the  flower  and  half  sheath 
fastened  underneath,  altogether  composing  a  cha])let  really 
charming  for  its  elegant  sim})licity. 

Orchids  are  much  sought  for  by  all  Burmese  ladies,  particu- 
larly the  delicate  bolbophyllum,  one  species  of  which  is  delicate- 
ly sweet,  and  of  a  light  yellow  color.  There  are  some  curious 
notices  of  this  flower  in  Burmese  history.  It  states  that  a  little 
less  than  a  hundred  years  ago  these  air  plants  were  taxed  by 
government ! 


WOONKADAU.  d 

The  Myu-woon  of  Toimghoo  sent  annually  a  tax  of  this  flower 
to  Ava  as  follows  :  To  the  king  twelve  loads,  to  the  queen  two 
loads,  to  the  heir  apparent  four,  to  the  princess  one,  to  the  court 
four,  to  the  treasury  two,  to  the  ministers  of  state  two,  and  an- 
other load  for  show.  Each  load  contained  five  hundred  bunches, 
making  in  all  fourteen  thousand  racemes  of  one  simple  orchid,  to 
be  gathered  annually  for  this  voluptuous  court  !  These  were 
collected  by  the  Karens,  and  one  cannot  but  think  how  many 
thousands  of  burning  tear-drops  must  have  fallen  from  anguish- 
ed mothers  over  those  lovely  blossoms  !  And  not  only  these 
were  they  obliged  to  gather,  but  also  two  other  species — the 
charming  dendrobium  and  another  air  plant — all  in  the  same  ra- 
tio, amounting  to  forty -tivo  thousand  orchid  blossoms  to  be  col- 
lected in  the  most  hurrying  season  of  the  year  ! 

This  company  of  Burmese  ladies  were  all  self-possessed,  with 
that  high  bearine;  of  deference  which  marks  the  well-bred  in  cv- 
ery  land,  and  the  grace  of  their  attitude,  as  they  took  their  dif- 
ferent positions  upon  the  mat,  was  perfectly  engaging. 

Having  ordered  mats  neatly  covered,  I  took  a  low  seat  beside 
her,  enquiring  : 

"  Does  the  Woonkadau  wish  to  hear  of  Jesus  Christ  ?  " 

"  I  have  come  to  hear  Pay  ah  (your  ladyship). 

"  How  old  is  the  Woonkadau  ?  "  turning  to  an  attendant. 

"  I  have  lived  sixty-five  years,"  she  replie'd  herself. 

"  Indeed,  the  great  mother  is  as  old  as  my  grand-mother.  1 
am  but  a  child  in  years  beside  her  ;  nevertheless,  God  in  great 
mercy  has  showed  me  the  true  way  to  happiness." 

"  Let  us  hear  !  let  us  hear  !"  exclaimed  her  attendants  ;  so 
we  endeavored  to  tell  them,  slowly  and  solemnly,  of  man's  sinful 
state,  need  of  a  Saviour,  the  atonement  provided,  and  the  j)eace 
attendant  upon  receiving  it  ;  and  without  our  noticing  it,  they 
remarked  at  once  to  one  another,  that  it  was  very  different — 
this  salvation  by  Christ,  and  the  Nicban  (annihilation)  promised 
in  the  Bedagat,  after  thousands  of  years  in  hell.  The  Woonka- 
dau was  a  very  understanding  woman  ;  and  so  were  four  or  five 
of  her  attendants,  one  of  whom  could  read  very  well,  but  the  la- 
dy herself  had  never  learned  to  read. 

Having  remarked  that  she  would  not  like  us  to   say  that   her 


^10  CONVEHSATIONS. 

religion  was  wrong  ;  that  God  was   displeased  when  they   wor- 
Khipped  pagodas,  idols,  or  poongees,  she  replied  : 

"  you  are  a  woman,  the  same  as  myself,  only  you  have  more 
knowledge  ;  and  what  you  say  is  not  your  own  words,  but  God's 
words.  We  must  receive  them  as  God's  words,"  (meaning  our 
God's  words.) 

They  all  assented  to  the  truth,  but  it  is  to  be  feared  it  was 
from  politeness,  as  they  did  not  seem  at  all  affected  by  it.  To- 
wards noon  she  begged  leave  to  retire,  as  it  was  her  hour  for 
sleep,  so  having  served  them  with  a  cup  of  tea  and  a  plate  of 
gingernuts,  they  withdrew.  I  did  not  return  the  Woonkadau's 
call,  for  I  found  no  time,  there  were  so  many  with  us,  but 
I  kept  up  an  acquaintance  by  sending  little  messages  witli  vari- 
ous passages  marked  for  her  attendants  to  read  to  her.  One 
day,  having  sent  a  cup  of  guava  jelly  of  our  own  making,  with 
the  "  Life  of  Christ  "  in  Burmese,  she  returned  many  salams, 
saying  she  had  long  desired  to  see  such  a  book,  and  would  give 
particular  attention  to  the  paragraphs  marked  for  her. 

In  this  lady's  train  was  a  young  Braminee,  very  pretty,  grace- 
ful and  lovely  in  her  manners.  She  looked  intelligent,  but  said 
little  ;  one  of  her  companions  however  remarked  : 

"  You  are  white,  and  God  loves  you  ;  we  are  dark.  He  don't 
love  us." 

"  You  say  God  made  us  all,"  observed  one  of  the  Woonkadau', 
maidens,  "  and  you  say  He  loves  all.  If  this  be  so  why  has  He 
made  you  white  and  me  brown  ?  No,  no,"  she  continued,  with 
a  bitter  smile,  "He  don't  love  the  Burmese.  He's  the  God  of 
the  English,  not  the  God  of  the  Burmans." 

"  You  plant  a  flower-garden,"  one  of  the  Christians  replieds 
trying  to  clear  up  the  matter.  "  You  put  in  tube-roses,  balsams 
and  four-o-clocks  ?" 

"Hoga  K'myah,"  (yes,  sir)  with  a  graceful  inclination. 

"  You  are  fond  of  your  flowers,  because  you  planted  them 
yourself ;  so  you  carefully  tend  them,  water  them,  dig  about 
them,  get  rich  soil  for  them  ;  and  watch  with  admiring  interest 
to  see  the  blossoms  open." 

"  Hoga  K'myah." 

''  By  and  by,  a  companion  comes  in,  and  begins  to  carry  off 
aJl  the  red  and  yellow  balsams.     '  Stop  !.  stop  !  '  you  cry,    "'you 


CONVERSATIONS.  U 

are  spoiling  my  garden.'     '  No,  no/  she  says, '  you  want  only  the 
white  flowers.     I'll  have  all  the  rest.'  " 

"  She  shouldn't  have  'em." 

"  Just  so.  Now  the  world  is  God's  garden,  and  the  people 
flowers,  red,  white  and  yellow." 

"  And  Mahnat,  (the  devil)  wants  to  get  them  all,  but  he  tries 
the  hardest  for  the  red  and  yellow  ones,"  joined  in  my  interpreter, 
eagerly.  "  He  comes  up  with  his  imps,  and  pulls  here,  there^ 
yonder,  and  says,  '  I'll  have  these,  I'll  have  these  to  keep  my 
fires  burning. ' " 

"But  God  says,  '  No,' "  we  added  ;  "  He  says  to  the  Natsoes, 
'  You  shall  not  destroy  my  pretty  brown  flowers;"  and  the  assis- 
tants explained  to  them  that  God  had  sent  his  Bible  and  his 
teachers,  to  show  them  how  to  keep  out  of  his  hands. 

They  were  pleased  with  the  simile,  as  Orientals  always  are  with 
anything  like  a  parable. 

"  But  your  dress  is  always  white,  while  ours  is  often  faded 
and  dirty,"  said  the  attendant  who  could  read,  and  whose  dress 
was  not  a  little  soiled.  "  Of  course  God  loves  you  most  because 
your  clothes  are  whitest."  So  then  we  had  to  try  again,  and 
bring  them  to  understand  that,  though  it  were  good  to  have 
clean  clothes,  yet  it  was  the  heart  that  God  looked  at ;  and  if 
that  was  fragrant.  He  would  love  them  more  and  more.  It  was 
difficult,  however,  to  make  them  believe  that  he  would  overlook 
the  outside  to  notice  the  inside  ;  and  finally  they  were  told  if 
they  would  have  it  so,  then  they  should  wash  their  clothes  and 
keep  them  clean.  But  this  only  led,  where  we  knew  it  would, 
to  their  pleading  poverty,  although  probably  there  were  not  more 
than  two  or  three  present  but  carried  twenty  or  thirty  dollars' 
worth  of  gems  upon  her  fingers. 

Nearly  all  the  Mienkadaus,  or  gentlemen's  wives,  in  and  around 
the  city,  have  visited  us  at  different  times  ;  and  one  is  a  person 
of  uncommon  talents.  She  can  read  fluently,  and  the  people 
say  she  knows  more  of  Burman  books  than  any  man  in  the  place, 
except  two  or  three  priests.  This  is  a  rare  case,  as  I  have  not 
seen  more  than  three  other  women  in  Tounghoo  who  could  read 
at  all.  I  feel  a  deep  interest  in  this  person,  and  much  time  has 
been  spent  in  instructing  her ;  perhaps  more  so,  because  she  is,  for 
a  heathen,  really  a  loveable  woman,    soft   and   winning   in   her 


12  AN  interp:sting  woman. 

manners,  and  has  a  particularly  sweet  voice.  She  visits  our 
house  iiequently,  reads  our  books,  arvl  says  she  is  considering 
the  Christian  system,  but  does  not  yet  believe.  Her  husband  is 
from  Ava  ;  a  tall,  handsome,  noble-browed  man  ;  but  as  proud 
and  haughty  as  the  court  of  his  native  city.  This  lady  has  a 
pretty  daughter  whom  she  has  herself  taught  to  read  ;  and 
whom  she  wishes  to  place  with  me  for  instruction  ;  and  I  can  ^ 
but  hope  that  they  will  sometime  become  humble  disciples. 

One  day  this  woman  was  stumbling  on  the  doctrine   of  the 
Trinity.     She  was  advised  to  let  it  alone,  until  she  knew   more 
of  Christ's  life  and  doctrine,  but  she  would   dwell   on  that,  and  % 
remarked  : 

"  I  can  understand  all  but  this  ;  but  here  is  a  point  inexpli- 
cable." Having  in  vain  tried  to  illustrate  the  subject,  she  was 
asked  if  she  did  not  love  her  husband." 

"  Certainly." 

"  Obey  him,  too  ?" 

"  Usually." 

"  What,  without  seeing  all  liis  heart,  or  knowing  all  his 
thoughts  ?" 

"  Ah  !  I  see,"  she  replied,  "  You  mean  that  we  should  be 
cantent  to  obey  God  without  understanding  him." 

"  His  own  Son  died  for  you — what  husband  ever   did   that  ?" 

"  True,  true." 

"  Would  she  feel  any  happier,"  she  was  asked,  "  if  she  could 
even  look  clear  through  the  eternal  God,  as  she  could  her  idols 
of  papier  mache  ?  " 

"  No,"  after  a  pause.  "  I — I  don't  know  as  I  should.  He 
wouldn't  seem  so  great." 

'"'  You  think  it  hard,"  it  was  observed  one  day,  "  to  give  up 
what  you  call  your  merit  ?" 

"  Yes,  Th'kyen,  (madam)  I  have  done  a  good  deal  in  my  life- 
time for  pagodas  and  monasteries,  and  it  is  hard,  very  hard." 

Oh,  my  sisters,  you  should  be  there  on  the  spot  to  fully  realize 
these  things,  I  don't  know  how  you  would  feel,  but  I  know  how 
I  felt,  and  that  I  could  not  stay  the  scalding  tear-drops  as  this 
gifted  woman  sat  before  me  bound  in  the  python  folds  of  Budd- 
hism, which  had  been  from  childhood  tightenino; — tightening 
and  are  still  drawing,  almost  irresistibly  down  to  woe. 


BURMAN    NUNS.  13 

Another  Mienkadau,  an  elderly  2:)erson,  is  perhaps  equally  in- 
telligent, hut  very  different.  She  has  a  great  intellect,  under- 
stands almost  before  the  words  are  spoken  ;  and  will  often  turn 
round,  and  expound  to  the  others,  like  any  philosopher  ;  taking 
care,  however,  to  always  add  the  dac,  or  quotation  affix^  to  let 
them  see  she  is  not  herself  a  believer.  This  old  dame  would 
converse  only  with  the  "  Great  Teacher "  himself,  so  she  was 
turned  over  to  the  male  department.  Many  attempt  to  make 
out  that  Christianity  and  Buddhism  are  the  same  ;  and  some  of 
these  women  appear  really  inclined  to  believe  Jesus  Christ  to  be 
Areemadaya,  the  anticipated  Buddh.  But  this  woman  saAv 
the  difference  at  once. 

"  They're  not  alike,"  she  remarked,  one  day,  with  emphasis. 
"  Not  alike — they're  like  this,"  putting  up  her  hands  in  oppo- 
site directions. 

Nothino'  could  be  more  correct,  though  not  one  in  iiftv  will 
acknowledge  it. 

One  day  several  of  the  Mathoodaus  or  nuns  came  to  visit  us. 

They  asked  for  offerings,  but  I  had  to  tell  them,  as  the  Apos- 
tle did  the  poor  lame  man,  and  so  gave  them  Mrs.  Ann  H.  Jud- 
son's  Catechism,  and  read  to  them  the  Scriptures,  after  which 
we  served  them  wdth  tea,  and  they  departed  apparently  highly 
gratified.  One  of  the  number  could  read  ;  and  I  believe  she  is 
the  only  one  who  can  boast  of  this  accomplishment  among  the 
whole  fifteen  Mathoodaus  of  Tounghoo.  They  seemed  to  receive 
the  gospel,  and  it  would  not  be  strange  if  they  should  hereafter 
worship  Jesus  Christ  in  connection  with  Gaudama,  and  the 
Nats  ;  and  this  is  probably  what  a  great  many  will  do.  In- 
deed, were  the  gospel  to  be  suddenly  withdrawn  from  the  prov- 
ince, undoubtedly  a  fcAv  years  hence  the  traveler  would  find,  as 
it  was  in  Eome,  in  the  days  of  the  Emperor  Severus,  Jesus 
Christ's  image  in  the  temple  with  those  of  the  heathen  Gods. 

In  this  way  I  have  sat  most  of  the  time  from  eight  o'clock  un- 
til four  for  weeks  together,  having  sometimes  forty  visitors  a 
day,  in  ten  different  parties.  The  body  would  weary,  but  the 
spirit  never,  for  it  was  a  rare  and  precious  privilege. 


14  YASHOO-CRAIK. 

One  day  the  Sahya-kadau  came,  with  a  large  company. 

The  house  we^occiipied  being  the  seat  of  the  City  Recorder,  a 
good  sized  hall  in  the  centre  was  the  Myusahya-kadau's  drawing- 
room.  Here  I  took  possession  on  our  first  Sabbath  in  Tounghoo, 
and  invited  the  women  to  listen.  I  had  a  good  interpreter,  by 
whom  I  could  readily  communicate  through  the  Pwo,  and  they 
appeared  different  from  any  Barman  women  I  ever  met.  General- 
ly they  are  very  curious  about  our  clothes,  food,  color,  &c.,  but 
the  assembly  on  this  Sabbath  day  seemed  only  anxious  to  hear 
of  our  religion,  and  I  never  in  America  saw  deeper  interest  de- 
picted on  human  countenances  that  these  women  exhibited  dur- 
ing this  interview. 

I  encouraged  the  company  each  to  speak  about  herself,  and, 
•'  Ah  me,'*'  said  one,  '•  I  am  the  mother  of  five  children,  and  am 
now  childless.'"' 

'' I  am  the  mother  of  nine,"  said  another,  ''and  of  all,  but 
one  remains  to  me,"  and  so  it  went  round  from  one  to  another, 
each  telling  her  own  heart-burdens,  many  of  them  with  tearful 
eyes. 

"  But  Jesus,  when  on  earth,  loved  ]ioor  sorrowing  woman, 
and — '' 

"  Did  He  .^  "  (luestioned  the  Kadau. 

''  Yes  ;  and  what  do  you  think  He  said  to  them  ?'' 

"  We  don't  know — we  never  heard  of  Him  before."' 

Here  I  tried  to  tell  them  of  those  ''mansions"  which  Jesua 
said  he  was  going  to  prepare  ;  adding  that  their  little  children 
were  undoubtedly  up  in  those  beautiful  rooms  waiting  for  them. 

"Our  children  up  in  beautiful  rooms  ?  Do  you  think  they 
are  ?" 

"  Yes." 

"  With  whom  ? — what's  the  name  ?"  and  here  they  tried  to 
pronounce  the  new  name  of  Christ,  but  made  it  sound  so  oddly 
they  all  burst  out  laughing. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  trying  to  reassure  them,  "  that's  right,  Yashoo- 
Kraik  ;  and  He  has  promised  something  to  all  who  become  His 
fqjlowers." 

"What.?     Whatis't.^" 

"  He  says  He'll  wipe  away  all  their  tears." 

"  Does  He  ?     Can  He  if  we  cry  very  much  ?''  smiling. 


LOOKING    FOR    AREEMADAYA.  15 

"  Yes,  and  that's  not  all." 

''What  more  ?  Do  tell,  for  we  never  heard  of  such  a  man 
before — What's  the  name  ?" 

"  Yashoo-Krailc.  " 

"  Ya,  ya  :  Yashoo-Kraik,  Yashoo-Kraik  ;"  and  all  repeated 
the  name,  trying  to  learn  it. 

'•'  Yashoo-Kraik  says  he  will  give  you  something  Letter  than 
rings  or  dresses,  better  than  children  or  husbands  ;"  explaining 
to  them  their  own  sinful  state,  and  need  of  a  Saviour. 

"Fa,  ya,  w^e  are  all  sinners — great  sinners  ;  we  get  angry,  we 
fret,  we  repine,  we  talk  bad,  and  we  do  bad." 

"Yes,  at  such  times  Nat-so  (the  evil  spirit,)  comes  to  the 
verandah  of  your  hearts,  and  says,  '  May  I  come  in  ?'  '  Uoga,' 
you  say,  and  in  he  comes,  and  begins  to  blow  and  blow,  until  he 
has  filled  your  hearts  with  anger  and  wretchedness." 

"  True  !  True !"  all  responded  wdth  interest,  but  Nat-so  is 
tai-sothe  (very  bad,)  and  loill  come  in." 

"  Hear  this,"  spoke  up  a  young  Karen  disciple,  near  us,  who 
had  been  for  some  minutes  turning  his  Karen  Testament. 

"  What  is  it,  Moung  ?"  questioned  the  Sahya-kadau. 

"  Hear  this  ;"  and  he  read  to  them  the  4th  of  Luke,  how  the 
devils,  at  Christ's  command,  came  out  of  many,  crying  out  that 
He  was  the  Son  of  God  ;  adding  that  Christ  had  conquered  all 
Nats  more  than  a  thousand  years  ago,  and  exhorted  them  to 
believe  in  Him. 

"  We  do  believe,"  exclaimed  several  voices  at  once,  "  and  here- 
after we'll  worship  Jesus  Christ." 

"  Do  you  say  true  ?     Will  you  surely  worship  God's    Son  ?" 

-Hoga—Y^s." 

And  so  we  dismissed  them,  they  saying,  "We'll  come  and  hear 
more  to-morrow." 

The  next  morning  they  did  come  again,  filling  our  room  full, 
and  more  than  full.  So  I  began  by  inquiring  if  they  remember- 
ed what  had  been  said  to  them  the  day  before.  Some  few  tried 
to  tell,  but  the  most  they  could  say  was,  that  we  must  worship 
one  Jesus  Christ. 

"  But  who  is  Jesus  Christ  ?  inquired  a  very  sensible-looking 
woman,  who  was  not  in  the  day  before.  "'  Where  can  I  find 
him  ?     Is  he  in  Maulmain  or  in  Bengala  ?    Where  did  he  die  ? 


16  "  I    SEE    IT." 

Will  he  ever  come  again  ?"  she  continued  eagerly,  and  when  sat- 
isfied on  these  points,  "  Why,"  she  exclaimed,  "  have  I  never 
heard  this  before  ?  I  believe  in  this  Jesus  Christ.  My  heart 
seems  to  light  up  a  little." 

"  And  mine,  too,"  joined  in  the  lady  of  one  of  the  chiefs. 
"How  is  this  ?"  she  continued.  "  You  see  me  an  old  woman. 
I  began  to  look  for  Areemadaya  when  so  high,"  pointing  to  a 
child  some  seven  or  eight  years  old.  "  I  have  been  looking  ever 
since,  and  haven't  found  him  yet.  It's  of  no  use  to  look  any 
longer.     I'll  worship  Jesus  Christ." 

This  woman's  case  was  particularly  interesting.  She  was  so 
eager  to  learn  of  Christ,  it  was  not  enough  for  her  to  sit  in  the 
circle,  but  she  bent  forward  as  far  as  possible  in  the  crowd,  as  if 
she  would  devour  every  word  ;  and  when  the  company  retired, 
still  there  she  sat,  as  party  after  party  came  and  went,  until 
nearly  night.  Several  times  her  children  came  and  called  her. 
but  she  would  reply  : 

"Let  me  alone.  I  must  hear.  I  am  old.  What  is  this  world 
to  me  ?" 

At  last  she  vanished  away  unseen,  and  I  never  heard  of  her 
again.  But  she  reminded  me  strongly  of  a  convert  in  Dong- 
yahn.  A  woman  who  had  been  all  her  lifetime  a  Buddhist,  un- 
til her  conversion  to  Christianity,  and  after  that  she  had  once 
fallen  into  idolatry.  But  she  had  also  truly  repented.  One  day 
I  had  been  telling  the  sisters  something  about  the  Saviour  and 
heaven,  which  this  old  lady  did  not  perfectly  understand,  so  she 
left  her  seat  and  sat  down  beside  me.  "  What  is  it  teachress  ?" 
she  enquired,  "  Tell  it  again  please."     I  repeated  it. 

"  Again  mamma,  I  don't  quite  understand,"  putting  her  hand 
to  her  forehead,  as  if  trying  to  concentrate  her  thoughts.  Slow- 
ly I  again  explained  in  the  simplest  manner  possible  ;  and  now 
light  seemed  to  burst  in  upon  her  understanding,  ''  Oh,  I  see 
it  !  I  see  it !"  she  cried,  her  eyes  and  hands  uplifted  towards 
heaven,  while  the  tears  coursed  down  her  cheeks  :  '"'I  see  it ! 
1  see  it  !"  and  there  she  sat  gazing  upward,  until  her  whole  face 
shone  with  an  unearthly  radiance.  What  she  saw  I  know  not, 
but  the  angels  no  doubt  whispered  her  precious  things. 

Oh,  I  do  believe  if  the  ladies  of  Christian  lands  could  see  these 
poor  heathen  Avomen  groping  for  light  as.  I  have  done,  it  would 


BURMAN    MOTHERS.  17 

arouse  the  coldest   blood  in   Cliristendomj  and   send  it   rolling 
with  the  swiftness  of  enthusiasm  through  all  their  veins. 


At  present,  Burman  mothers  (I  mean  the  great  mass  of  them 
— of  course  there  are  isolated  exceptions,)  have  but  one  thought, 
and  that  is  to  bring  up  their  daughters  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
attract  to  them  the  attention  of  strangers,  so  that  they  may  sell 
them  for  a  good  price.  Oh,  I  have  seen,  till  my  eyes  ached  with 
weeping,  how  sin  and  misery  are  brought  into  Burmese  dwellings 
by  Christian  Europe.  I  have  seen  the  bosom  heave,  and  the 
tears  gush  over  her  ofFsping,  when  the  poor  young  mother,  tor- 
mented by  a  consciousness  of  sin,  and  the  fear  of  punishment, 
has  exclaimed  : 

"  What  could  I  do  ?  I  was  helpless.  My  mother  sold  me. 
A  Christian  bought  me.  Will  not  the  God  of  the  Christian 
pity  me  ?" 

I  have  seen  them  dragged  away  as  they  sunk  fainting  at 
the  feet  of  their  masters,  when  they  found  their  place  was 
already  filled  by  a  European  lady  ;  and  I  have  also  seen  these 
helpless  creatures,  when  they  have  been  hunted  by  their 
cruel  mothers,  and  the  more  cruel  purchaser,  prepare  for 
themselves  the  grave  of  the  suicide.  If  so-called  Christian 
meji  can  be  so  base,  so  cruel  and  wicked,  as  to  seek  their 
destruction,  ought  not  Christian  women  to  put  forth  still 
stronger  efforts  for  their  salvation  ? 

The  question  now  is,  what  can  be  done  for  these  poor  girls  ? 
From  the  days  of  Ann  H.  Judson,  our  missionaries  have  labored 
to  rescue  them,  and  not  without  success,  but  the  flood  of  cor- 
ruption, like  a  wide  sea,  has  flowed  on  from  city  to  city,  and  the 
condition  of  these  young  women  seems  hopeless,  unless  some- 
thing can  be  done  to  remove  them  entirely  from  their  mothers. 
Missionaries  have  endeavored,  again  and  again,  to  bring  them 
under  Christian  influence,  but  their  mothers  watch  them  with 
the  utmost  vigilance,  to  prevent  their  accursed  trade  from  falling 
to  the  ground. 

Not  knowing  what  to  do,  I  think  we  shall  commit  no  sin  if  we 
trv  somctino:  new.     I  have  therefore  made  an  effort  to  establish 


18  BURMESE    TRAINING    SCHOOL. 

a  Normal  Training  School  for  Burmese,  Taking  and  Shan  girls, 
as  nearly  on  the  plan  of  the  Karen  Female  Institute  as  practi- 
cable, but  with  an  ornamental  department,  none  however  being 
admitted  into  the  higher  branches  until  they  can  read  the  Scrip- 
tures well  in  their  own  language.  If  we  can  persuade  the  moth- 
ers to  see  any  nobler  prospects  for  their  daughters,  so  that  they 
shall  be  willing  to  entrust  them  to  a  foreign  teacher,  for  two  or 
three  years,  we  shall  have  great  hope  that,  with  God's  blessing^ 
a  change  may  be  effected  in  their  manners  and  hearts,  and 
through  them,  in  their  companions. 

I  know  one  young  Burmese  who  was  for  several  years  the  pu- 
pil of  Mrs.  Haswell,  of  the  Maulmain  mission,  who  acquired 
such  high  principles  that  her  influence  is  seen  very  decidedly 
over  her  associates.  She  is  now  in  Tounghoo,  ready  to  aid  in  a 
female  school,  and  with  her  help  I  did  once  open  this  school,but 
found  it  would  require  the  exclusive  energies  of  one  person. 

I  have  already  purchased  a  handsome  house  and  compound, 
with  brick  cook-house  and  nice  bricked  roads,  with  cocoanuts, 
jacks,  and  other  fruit  trees.  It  is  in  a  most  eligible  situation 
near  the  Burmese  town,  on  the  river,  and  so  near  the  Main 
Guard  and  Court  House,  as  to  be  always  under  protection.  The 
compound  joins  Mr.  Mason's  place,  and  contains  about  four 
acres  of  land,  for  which  Government  has  ordered  the  title  deeds. 
I  have  paid  for  this  establishment  2,000  rupees,  and  it  is  all 
ready  for  the  school.  I  now  want  for  this  undertaking  the  fol- 
lowing articles  : 

1st.  Permanent  support,  or  $450  the  year  for  a  teacher,  and 
native  assistant. 

2d.  The  cost  of  the  teacher's  passage  and  outfit. 
3d.  A  box  of  slates,  knives,  scissors,  pencils  and  paper. 
4th.  Apparatus,  such  as  Scripture  cards,  a  pair  of  large  globes, 
a  set  of  outline  maps,  a  magic  lantern,  a  stereoscope,  with  views 
illustrative  of  the  earth  or  its  inhabitants,  or  anything  illustrat- 
ing the  natural  sciences  ;  a  large  microscope  would  be  invalua- 
ble, mathematical  instruments,  drawing  and  painting  materials, 
worsted  work  and  materials,  a  few  English  books  of  reference  on 
all  subjects  connected  with  the  Bible  or  science.  Second-hand 
will  ansAver  every  purpose. 

All  these  things,  except  the  microscope,  with    a  -piano   also. 


KAREN    FEMALE    INSTITUTE.  19 

have  been  provided  for  the  Karen  Female  Institute  by  friends 
in  Enghind.  The  teacher's  support  and  passage  back  overland 
have  also  been  granted  by  ladies  in  England,  but  the  Burmese 
and  Shan  Training  School  is  entirely  disconnected  from  the  Ka- 
ren Institute,  and  everything  will  have  to  be  kept  wholly  sepa- 
rate. 


During  the  last  four  years,  God,  the  Mighty  God  of  Jacob, 
who  still  doeth  wonders  among  the  heathen,  has  brought  into 
existence  the  Female  Institute,  for  the  seven  Karen  clans  of 
Tounghoo.  He  has  also  granted  the  house  and  land  for  a 
Burmese  and  Shan  school.  The  Institute  is  now,  I  trust,  firmly 
established  ;  and  the  large  teak-wood  building  which  the  Karens 
have  been  aiding  me  to  erect  for  them,  is  ere  this,  I  hope,  com- 
pleted. 

In  order  that  this  undertaking  might  in  no  way  affect  the 
treasury  of  the  A.  B .  M.  Union  ;  and  in  order  that  I  might  give 
all  the  property  over  to  the  Karens,  and  thereby  make  it  self- 
supporting, — I  engaged  not  to  receive  any  aid  for  seven  years 
from  March,  1857,  from  any  Baptist  in  the  United  States,  either 
for  myself  or  for  the  Karen  Institute,  supposing  it  would  take 
seven  years  to  get  it  firmly  established.  That  work  is  already, 
through  God's  great  mercy,  accomplished,  so  that  there  is  no 
longer  this  reason  for  declining  it,  but  there  is  my  pledge.  An 
expedient  has  however  occurred  to  me,  and  I  have  acted  accord- 
ingly. I  now  take  my  support  from  the, Union,  and  shall  seek 
the  same  amount  annually,  and  pay  it  into  the  treasury  of  the 
Union.  I  do  this  because  some  make  this  an  excuse  for  not 
helping  to  evangelize  the  women  of  Burmah,  and  I  would  glad- 
ly remove  all  stumbling  blocks. 

Concerning  the  Burmese  Training  or  Normal  School  I  never 
made  any  pledge,  that  I  am  aware  of,  nor  concerning  any  other 
except  the  one  mentioned.  I  have  asked  the  Secretary  of  our 
Union  if  I  might  accept  voluntary  assistance  for  this  school,  or 
another  Karen  school,  on  the  same  plan,  and  I  understood  him 
to  express  perfect  willingness.  I  should  not  wish,  however,  to 
receive  anything  which  would  deduct  from  the  annual  contribu- 
tions to  the  mission. 


20  FEMALE    BIBLE   READERS. 

I  have  come  home  for  teachers  for  these  two  schools,  and,  if  it 
please  God,  my  own  daughter  will  return  with  me  and  take 
charge  of  the  Institute,  her  outfit  and  passage  being  all  provided 
in  England. 

I  have  come  home  overland  for  teachers  and  Bible  Readers — 
not  to  see  the  world — any  more  than  I  remained  in  New  York  to 
see  that  little  part  of  it  four  years  ago.  I  did  stop  in  New  York 
"  four  weeks,  on  expense,"  but  solely  in  behalf  of  dear  cbildren, 
whose  father  was  too  sick  to  help  them,  and  whose  mother  was 
in  heaven — and  the  whole  expense  Avas  borne  by  myself  alone. 

So  now  I  came  home  the  quickest  way  possible  ;  because  I  left 
my  dear  husband  without  a  child  with  him  ;  because  I  couldn't 
work  on  longer  alone  efficiently  ;  and  because  there  are  several 
very  important  matters  concerning  Burmese  persecution  of  the 
Karens,  with  which  I  chance  to  be  particularly  acquainted,  and 
these  are  to  be  settled  by  the  Commissioner  of  Pegu  in  December 
or  January  next,  Knowing  that  there  would  be  some  to  com- 
plain, I  asked  no  Society  to  heli)  me,  but  advanced  my  own 
widow's  mite,  almost  every  dollar  I  had  for  my  little  boy's  edu- 
cation, to  pay  our  expenses  home,  and  support  myself  and  chil- 
dren while  in  this  countrj'-.  If  it  please  God,  in  whom  alone  I 
trust,  to  return  this  for  him  I  shall  be  very  thankful.  If  not  I 
and  my  boy  will  bear  it.  I  thank  God  that  he  has  his  own 
sainted  father's  heart,  and  is  ready  for  sacrifice. 


But  there  is  another  work  separate  from  these  schools,  in  which 
1  do  earnestly  wish  the  ladies  of  this  Christian  land  would  take 
an  interest,  for  it  does  seem  to  me  of  the  deepest  importance.  It 
is  that  of  sending  female  Bible  Readers  to  the  heathen  ivomen  of 
Tounghoo — or  by  some  means  instructing  them  in  a  knowledge 
of  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 

I  find  many  on  this  side  of  the  world  who  think  Burmah  is  al- 
ready evangelized.  A  sad  mistake  !  It  is  estimated  that  there 
are  in  Burmah,  under  English  rule,  some  three  millions  of  females^ 
Among  these,  about  35,000  Karen  females  have,  we  trust,  re- 
nounced their  lieathen  rites,  and  received  teachers  ;  but  among 
the  Burmese  and  Tahiings  it  is  believed  there  are  not  more  than 
one  thousand,  at  most,  at  all  under  Christian  instruction. 


WOMEN   IN    BDRMAH.  21 

Bible  Societies  send  Bibles,  Tract  Societies  send  tracts,  and 
Mission  Societies  send  missionaries,  but  all  for  the  men.  Chris- 
tians have  apparently  thought  to  convert  the  men  first  and  the 
vs'omen  afterwards,  as  the  Indian  said  his  i3eople  did  : 

'•  When  we  Indian  begin  white  man's  custom,  we  begin  like 
greenhorn  woodman,  said  an  eloquent  Cherokee  :  "  We  hitch 
the  chain  to  the  top  end  of  the  log.  We  build  big  school-house, 
and  j)ut  in  all  boys.  By  and  by  our  young  chiefs  come  out  like 
white  men.  Then  they  say  '  Where  our  waives  ?  Ignorant 
squaw  not  love  books.  She  love  big  moose.  We  not  learn 
books.' 

"  Then  chiefs  say  :  •  We  no  pull  this  way.  We  hitch  to 
the  lower  end.     Then  we  build  bigger  house,  "we  put  in  all  girls.' 

"  '  Ah  ! '  say  the  young  hunters,  '  Now  we  study.  Brave  not 
know  books,  squaw  not  know  brave.'  Then  up  come  old  hick- 
ory." 

So  Government  supports  two  boys'  schools  in  Burmah  and 
none  for  girls,  and  yet  were  all  the  young  men  of  the  land  to  re- 
ceive each  a  thorough  secular  education,  and  should  Government 
continue  its  boys'  schools  for  fifty  years,  at  a  cost  of  lacs  of  ru- 
pees, still  if  nothing  is  done  for  girls,  they  must  marry  uneduca- 
ted, heathen  wives,  who  will  be  sure  to  instruct  their  children  in 
all  the  national  prejudices  and  superstitions,  and  so  error  will  be 
perpetuated. 


No  land  probably  east  of  the  Levant  presents  so  great  encour- 
agement to  efforts  in  behalf  of  female  elevation  as  this,  because 
here  woman  is  not  secluded  as  in  other  Asiatic  lands,  but  is  left 
free  to  follow  her  own  will.  But  alas  for  freedom  when  the 
mind  and  heart  are  left  uncultured.  Instead  of  that  grateful 
reverence  which  woman  owes  to  man  for  lifting  from  her  the 
crushing  burden  of  seclusion,  and  which  the  refined  and  educa- 
ted delight  to  give,  Burmese  women  are  haughty,  bold,  and  su- 
premely selfish. 

All  know  woman  in  Burmah,  her  unbounded  influence,  yet 
deplorable  degradation,  her  strength  of  character,  yet  almost  ut- 
ter ignorance  of  letters,  her  persuasive  grace  and   courtesy,   yet 


22  WOMEN    IX    BURMAH. 

most  corrupted  morals  and  ungoverned  passions.  No  goddess 
of  mercy  to  kiss  away  the  tear  from  the  eye  of  the  unfortunate 
is  woman  in  Burmah,  but  the  chief  supporter  of  all  lying,  all 
deception,  all  revelling,  all  idolatry. 

But  educate  the  women  of  this  land.  Create  in  their  minds 
a  thirst  for  knowledge,  a  love  for  an  enlightened  Grovernment, 
and  who  will  say  you  do  not  command  the  pulse  of  the  na- 
tion ? 

Do  I  over-estimate  the  influence  of  woman  in  pagan  lands  ? 
Let  the  experienced  rulers  of  those  lands  and  other  men  of 
thought  and  observation  decide. 

"  It  is  the  ignorance  and  superstitious  zeal  of  the  women  and 
their  powerful  influence  upon  their  families,  that  in  reality  con- 
stitutes the  stronghold  of  Hindoo  idolatry." — [Bev.  J.  Ulman. 

At  the  regatta,  the  buffalo  fight,  and  the  gaming  table,  wo- 
man is  the  principal  wrangler,  leaving  her  own  household  to 
suffer,  and  to  bear  the  weight  of  her  angry  passions,  if  she  loses 
her  bet.  She  is  the  business  person  of  the  land,  carrying  on 
nearly  all  the  trade  of  the  country.  She,  too,  is  the  educator 
of  Burmah.  It  is  looman  who  instructs  the  young  all  about 
nats,  ghosts,  witches,  and  all  manner  of  superstition.  It  is  loo- 
man  who  tramples  on  the  white  book,  and  gives  her  son  the 
palm  leaf.  It  is  ivoman  who  cannot  let  the  earth  revolve.  It 
is  ivoman  who  teaches  the  tottling  child  to  tug  up  its  dress  full 
of  sand  every  night  for  the  pagoda.  It  is  looman  who  climbs 
long  weary  steps  to  lay  her  offering  before  the  god,  and  it  is  wo- 
man, whether  in  the  metropolis  or  jungle  chevaux  de  frise,  who 
excites  discord,  fans  the  flame  of  rebellion,  and  overturns  dynas- 
ties. There,  is  therefore,  more  hope  in  laboring  for  the  women 
of  Burmah  than  for  those  of  other  pagan  lands,  for  she  can  and 
must  rise  ;  and  from  being  the  votary  of  self,  the  fosterer  of 
crime,  she  may  become,  with  God's  blessing,  the  renovator  of 
Burmah,  arching  every  threshold  with  the  roses  of  virtue,  peace, 
and  love,  and  inspiring  her  sous  with  the  holiest  purposes. 

If  the  women  are  educated,  Burmah  is  educated.  If  they  are 
Christianized,  Burmah  is  Christianized. 

The  reason  Buniiah  is  not  converted  is  because  the  women  are 
not,  and  the  reason  the  women  arc  not  converted  is  because  they 
do  not  undei'stand. 


WOMAN    TALK.  23 

It  is  not  because  they  are  so  bigoted  that  they  will  not  listen. 
Mrs.  Ingalls  and  Mrs.  Knapp  will  not  tell  you  so.  But  it  is 
because  they  don't  understand,  or  at  least  this  is  a  great  hin- 
drance. 

I  had  once  been  talking  all  day  to  the  Burmese  women  of 
Tounghoo,  as  they  crowded  our  verandah,  troop  after  troop,  until 
I  could  scarcely  speak  a  loud  word,  when  I  called  Mr.  Mason's 
assistant  and  asked  him  to  talk  to  them.  He  did  so,  with  great 
eloquence  and  earnestness,  but  they  only  sat  and  stared. 

Feeling  distressed  at  their  idle  gaze,  I  inquired  "  Why  do  you 
not  understand  ?" 

"  Oh,  ive  can't  understand,"  the  most  intelligent  one  replied  ; 
"  Moung  Shwa  Moung  is  like  Mount  Meru.  He  knows  every- 
thing, hut  he  can't  talk  luoman  talk." 

And  this  is  just  the  trouble.  The  native  preachers  have  not 
the  patience  to  sit  down  and  say  one  simple  truth  over  and  over. 
If  you  would  have  Burmah  redeemed  unto  tlie  Lord,  send  tuo- 
men  to  tvomen,  and  let  them  teach  them  the  A  B  C  oi  Chris- 
tianity. 

There  ought  to  be  immediately  fifty  women  appointed  to  this 
work.  Five  native  readers,  with  one  foreigner,  might  take 
each  a  district,  and  work  thoroughly  from  door  to  door,  from 
house  to  house,  from  hamlet  to  hamlet,  for  five  years,  then,  'pos- 
sibly, Burmah  might  be  getting  ready  for  the  millennium. 


One  year  I  visited  about  150  Burmese  women  at  their  own 
houses,  such  as  would  not  go  to  the  missionary.  On  one  of  these 
excursions,  I  went  to  a  door  where  three  fruit  women  were  con- 
versing :  "  Thiva  !  tJiiva  !  Go  !  go  !"  was  the  immediate  re- 
ception, waving  us  away  with  the  hand.  The  heat  was  intense, 
and  we  felt  ready  to  sink,  but  at  that  moment  the  awful  judg- 
ment rose  so  vividly  before  me,  I  could  not  move,  but  stood 
there  saying,  in  conciliatory  tones,  that  we  had  come  all  the  way 
from  home  on  foot  to  tell  them  of  a  Friend  who  loved  them. 

"  Jesus  ^Christ  ?"  they  inquired  with  infinite  scorn.  "  We 
want  nothing  of  your  Jesus  Christ." 

We  went  on,  however,  telling  them  of  the  soul,  of  their  dan- 


24  BURMAH   THINKING. 

ger,  and  of  the  atonement,  and  finally    the  hard  features  of  the 
orauQ-e  woman  Lejran  to  relax  : 

"  Don't  know,  don't  know,"  she  muttered  in  a  low  voice  ;  "  our 
father,  grand-father,  grand-mother  all  go  this  way,"  and  she 
drew  back  a  little  from  the  door. 

"  Come  in,"  she  said,  but  her  companions  were  iu  no  haste,  so 
my  interpreter  continued,  for  I  could  not  speak  Burmese  : 

"  Ah,  we  arc  all  sinners,"  she  replied,  "  but  there's  no  use 
troubling  ourselves  now." 

"  Sit  down,"  said  the  citron  woman,  "  It's  very  hot,"  and 
gladly  we  accepted  the  tardy  hospitality.  But  one  kept  her 
hold  upon  the  door,  saying  she  would  worship  Gaudama  as  long 
as  she  lived. 

"  Hush  !  hush  !  "  murmured  the  citron  woman,  "  Ave  know 
nothing.     All  is  dark.     We  are  children  lost  in  the  jungle." 

Two  weeks  after  this,  as  we  passed  down  the  street,  the  or- 
ange woman  hailed  us  to  know  if  we  had  brought  ''  The  Book," 
a  tract  which,  had  been  read  to  them  on  the  first  visit.  The 
woman  seemed  to  cling  to  this  tract ;  but  the  third  time  she 
appeared  indifferent.  Feeling  very  sad,  I  rose,  inquiring  if  she 
desired  Christians  to  visit  her  no  more.  "  No,  teaclieress,"  she 
exclaimed  with  emphasis,  '"'  I  am  thinJcing." 

0  how  often  have  those  words  brought  comfort  !  When  the 
cold  "  Go  "  has  met  me  ;  when  the  loud  laugh  of  derision  has 
rung  after  me  ;  when  traversing  mountains  and  burning  sands  ; 
Avhen  making  our  way  through  stifling  crowds  until  our  feet  were 
blistered,  and  we  have  sunk  speechless  at  our  door  ;  then  has 
echoed  around  us  :     "  Burmah  is  thinking  !  " 

And  when  in  Christian  lands  we  have  met  the  nerveless  hand, 

the  cold  eye,  the  heartless  tone,  then  have  fallen  so    soothingly 

the  words  : 

"BuRMAH  is  thinhing." 


AN   AGED    BUDDHIST.  25 

It  was  one  morning  while  visiting  these  women  that  I  met  an 
aged  heathen,  a  person  of  uncommon  mind,  who  had  been  and 
still  was  a  most  devout  Buddhist : 

"  Don't  tell  me.  I  can't  learn  your  prayer.  I'm  too  old. 
Your  Jesus  don't  know  me.  I've  worsliipped  Gaudama.  I've 
done  good.  I've  fed  the  priests.  I've  built  a  kyoung.  If  I 
take  another  now  I  shall  fall  between  the  two.  No,  no.  Let 
me  alone.     I  am  an  old  woman.     If  I  am  lost,  I  am  lost." 

"  Hush  !  hush  !"  she  cried,  as  we  continued  pleading  :  ''  Tell 
me  not,"  she  exclaimed  in  a  loud  voice  :  "  Tell  me  not.  Had 
I  heard  wlien  young  I  might  have  believed,  but  Loonbie  !  Loon- 
bie  ! — too  late,  too  late." 

The  scene  was  intensely  thrilling  ;  and  suggested  the  follow- 
ing lines,  which  are  addressed  to  those  who,  by  neglecting  to  en- 
gage in  mission  work,  are  sending  before  them  uj)  to  the  judg- 
ment, that  mourniul  burthen — "  Loonbie  I    Loonbie  !" 


26  COME    AND    WEEP. 

Come  ye  and  weep  where  the  Tempter  broods, 
With  his  idol  groups  in  their  dim  solitudes  ; 
Hovering  low  round  pagod  fanes, 
O'er  victim  crowds  in  stains  and  chains  : 
Ah,  gaze  ye  down  as  the  old,  the  gay. 
Convulsive  press  to  their  Buddh  to  pray. 

Pause  with  us  here  while  grisly  death 
Slowly  draws  the  quivering  breath — 
Point  ye  to  life,  to  the  realms  above  ? 
Tell  ye  of  Christ,  of  pitying  love  ? 
Too  late  !  too  late  !  one  stifling  cry 
Rings  of  the  heathen's  agony. 

Bend  o'er  her  now  as  the  clay-links  start, 
Quick  breathe  the  prayer  of  thy  bursting  heart, 
For  she  goes,  though  her  grasp  to  th'  earth  is  clinging, 
While  the  funeral  knell  in  her  ear  is  ringing  ; 
While  thickening  mists  are  her  senses  steeping. 
And  blue  grave  hues  o'er  her  fingers  creeping. 

Mark  now  tli'  eye  so  fixed  and  appalling, 
The  laboring  pulse  heaving  and  falling. 
The  trembling  drops  all  coldly  shrouding — 
The  shuddering  look,  the  spectres  crowding-— 
She's  crossing  alone  death's  deep,  dark  river, 
Parting  from  hope  for  ever  and  ever  I 

One  struggle  more,  tlie  last  life-token — 
A  hollow  moan,  a  sigh  half  broken — 
But  see  !  she  springs  !  her  black  lips  quiver  I 
*'■'  My  gods  !"  a  shriek — a  gasp — a  shiver — 
Hold,  Death  !     Hold  !     One  moment  free  ! 
0  Mercy  !  sunk  in  Eternity  ! 


FEMALE    LABORERS.  27 

Speaking  of  the  lost  state  of  the  millions  of  Burmah,  one  day, 
a  lady  tinned  quickly  and  asked  : 

"Why  !  didn't  Mrs.  Judson,  and  the  three  Mrs.  Judson  do  a 
great  deal  for  the  Burman  women  ?" 

All  such  I  would  answer  by  questions  :  Did  not  the  Apostle 
Paul  do  a  great  deal  for  Greece  ;  yet  was  Greece  converted  ? 

Did  not  Phebe  leave  her  country,  go  all  the  way  to  Eome  and 
labor  for  Italy  ?  Did  not  Priscilla,  and  Mary  and  Urbane,  and 
Tryphena  and  Tryphosa,  and  Julia,  and  Nereus'  sister,  all  la- 
bor for  the  Eoman  women  ?  and  did  not  the  "beloved  Persis  la- 
bor imich  in  the  Lord"  for  the  same  people,  yet  in  their  day  were 
the  women  of  that  single  city  converted  ? 

The  three  Mrs.  Judson,  and  Mrs.  Wade,  Mrs.  Kincaid,  Mrs. 
Bennett,  Mrs.  Coleman,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Mason,  Mrs.  Hancock,  Mrs. 
Abbott,  Mrs.  Howard,  Mrs.  Osgood,  Mrs.  Stilson,  Mrs.  Has- 
well,  Mrs.  Stevens,  the  two  Mrs.  Ingalls,  Mrs.  Allen,  Mrs. 
Knapp,  and  Mrs.  Crawley  and  Mrs.  Douglass,  have  all  followed 
the  beloved  Persis,  and  done  great  things  for  Burmah,  yet  the 
human  heart  is  the  same  now  as  it  was  in  A.  D.  60. 

People  in  Christian  lands  often  forget  the  inexpressible  differ- 
ence between  being  born  and  bred  up  Christians  and  being  born 
and  educated  as  heathen.  The  amount  of  labcr  too,  required  to 
enlighten  a  heathen  mind,  is  often  entirely  misapprehended,  and 
so  it  is  thought:  "Why,  missionaries  have  been  in  Burmah  these 
forty  years,  and  those  Burman  women  whom  you  talk  about 
have  the  Bible  in  their  own  language,  and  might  believe  if  they 
would.'"' 

True,  they  have  it  in  their  own  language,  but  I  think  I  should 
be  right  in  saying  that  not  one  Burman  woman  in  a  hundred 
can  read  it  at  all.  How  then  should  they  believe  ?  And  the 
few  who  can  read  how  are  they  to  understand  with  no  one  to 
read  over  the  Scriptures  with  them,  or  clear  away  one  of  their 
difficulties  ? 

There  was  the  wife  of  a  Burman  school-master  in  my  Bible 
class  one  day,  an  interesting  woman,  and  we  were  on  the  history 
of  the  apostle  Paul.  The  woman  desired  her  husband  to  ex- 
plain. He  did  so,  and  told  the  story  of  Paul's  conversion  thus  : 
'•  Saulu  was  a  bad  man — a  very  bad  man,  a  very  bad  man, 
who  shut  up  the  Dahedaus  (disciples,)  in  prison  ;    and  one  day 


28  WICKED    SAULU. 

when  he  was  goino-  to  town  to  take  some  of  'em,  Jesus  Christ 
met  him  and  stniclc  him  rigiit  in  the  face,  wliich  made  liim  blind 
for  three  days!     Served  him  right,  too  !" 

"  Oh  no,"  interrupted  the  assistant,  '' Jesns  Christ  didn't 
strike  him." 

'^  Then  may  he  'twas  Mahnat  (the  devil,)"  suggested  the  wife  ; 
and  there  it  w^ould  have  ended  had  there  been  no  teacher  pres- 
ent, for  he  was  perfectly  sincere  in  his  relation;  and,  of  course, 
without  instruction,  the  heathen  will  attribute  the  same  low  re- 
vengeful feelings  to  our  Saviour  that  they  have  themselves. 

Tounghoo  is  about  as  large  a  province  as  the  State  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  ought  to  have  a  whole  company  of  teachers  ;  but 
it  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  things  to  find  assistants  in  the  Bur- 
mese department.  Only  a  very  few  Burmese  converts  can  be 
induced  to  leave  their  homes  and  go  forth  as  missionaries.  I 
see  no  way  but  for  laborers  here  to  go  forth  and  raise  up  assis- 
tants for  themselves  ;  but  I  should  hope  that  as  many  as  four 
native  assistant  women  might  be  found  to  commence  with,  for 
Tounghoo,  if  there  can  be  any  head  foreign  readers  to  superin- 
tend and  go  with  them. 

I  lono;  to  have  something  tried  for  these  almost  for^'otten  wo- 
men,  and  see  if  God  will  not  accept  it.  Surely  Christ  did  for 
some  of  the  25,000  heathen  Avomen  of  Tounghoo  and  the  millions 
beyond,  and  I  long  to  go  myself  for  two  or  three  years  among 
them,  although  I  go  as  the  weakest  of  his  laborers.  It  is  to  me 
a  most  solemn  and  painful  thought  that  has  caused  me  hours  of 
weeping,  that  I  am  such  a  blunderer  in  my  Master's  vineyard — 
such  a  slow  learner,  and  I  never  enter  my  sohool-rooni  or  an  as- 
sembly of  the  chiefs  in  Tounghoo  without  trembling  lest  I  should 
kill  as  many  plants  as  I  should  save  for  him  ;  yet  a  dear  loving 
voice  seems  to  whisper  :     "  Fear  not,  /  am  with  thee." 

There  should  be  two  foreign  ladies  at  least  in  this  depart- 
ment one,  for  the  Burmese  and  one  for  the  Shans. 


The  Shans  seem  to  me  to  be  a  more  interesting  race  than  the 
Burmese.  They  are  the  merchant  princes  of  Burmah,  and  come 
down  in  great  numbers  from  Monay,  Labong  and  Zimmay,  to  all 


THE    SHANS.  29 

the  sea-ports  of  Burmah.  Every  year  they  come  pouring  down 
the  mountains  all  over  the  land,  bringing  precious  stones,  Chinese 
cloths-,  their  own  nice  lackered  boxes,  silver-hafted  knives,  sugar, 
stricklac,  and  they  supply  a  great  jjart  of  Burmah  with  their 
spades  and  dahs.  Cows,  too,  in  great  numbers,  and  their  ponies 
are  sought  for  all  over  Burmah. 

Now  I  do  not  imagine  that  these  traders  would  very  readily 
receive  Christianity  because  they  mingle  so  much  with  the  Bur- 
mese, and  their  minds  are  so  full  of  schemes  forgetting  rich.  But 
the  great  mass  of  quiet  agriculturalists  and  herdsmen,  if  they 
could  be  reached  in  their  own  homes,  might  be  more  willing  to 
listen  and  believe,  and  possibly  the  women  might  be  still  more 
so. 

If  a  Christian  lady  who  could  sj)eak  their  language  was  to  go 
among  the  Shan  women,  I  have  no  doubt  but  some  w^ould  em- 
brace the  truth.  They  are  a  neglected  people.  No  missionary 
ever  dwelt  among  them.  Probably  Dr.  Brown,  of  New  York, 
knows  as  much  or  more  of  this  people  than  any  other  person, 
but  I  am  not  aware  that  any  missionary  is  able,  or  ever  has 
been,  to  converse  with  them  in  their  own  language. 

A  year  ago  we  sent  out,  for  six  months,  one  of  our  best  Karen 
preachers,  who  spoke  Burmese,  supported  by  Mrs.  Milne,  no^^" 
of  Scotland,  to  those  hundreds  who  pitched  their  caravansaries 
in  Tounghoo,  and  they  have  ever  since  inquired  for  their  friend 
the  SaJiija.  Some  of  their  women  have  visited  me,  and  seemed 
to  listen  with  interest,  but  the  women  understand  but  little  Bur- 
mese, 

It  may  not  be  generally  known,  but  I  believe  it  is  true  that 
in  the  wonderful  work  of  God  among  the  Karen  tribes,  the  ivo- 
menhavc  generallij  been  first  to  come  f one ard,  first  to  receive 
the  teacher,  first  to  renounce  their  superstitions,  and  first  to  pro- 
fess Christ. 

These  Shans  come  down  to  Tounghoo  in  great  numbers.  They 
have  a  flourishing  village  there,  and  their  friends  plant  their 
caravans  there  for  several  months  every  year. 

I  once  met  a  large  company  of  them  with  their  wives,  on  the 
plains  of  Tounghoo.  They  had  just  come  down  from  their  own 
country.  I  thought  the  women  exceedingly  beautiful,  far  more 
so  than  the  Burmese,  and   their   dress   was   more   like   Karen. 


30  NEWS    FROM    RED    KARENS. 

They  all  wore  black  turbans,  and  seemed  gratified  with  the  little 
attentions  I  gave  them . 

They  are  a  broken  nation,  like  the  Karens,  no  longer  having  a 
King  of  their  own,  but  paying  a  tribute  to  foreigners,  and  they 
seem  to  feel  their  degradation  deeply. 

In  the  cities,  they  are  Buddhists,  having  kyoungs,  priests, 
and  books  of  their  own,  but  Buddhism  is  not  their  native  relig- 
ion, and  the  Karens  say  that  in  the  mountains  they  do  not  wor- 
ship Gaudama,  but  make  sacrifices  much  like  themselves. 

They  have  several  independent  States  adjoining  the  Red  Ka- 
ren territory,  or  near  it,  on  the  East,  and  God  has  already  plant- 
ed his  light  house  right  upon  their  borders  on  the  Red  Karen 
hills. 

Mr.  Mason  has  just  written  me  :  •'  I  have  lately  heard  one 
item  of  much  interest  to  me,  from  the  Red  Karen  country,  and 
that  is,  the  Eastern  Red  Karens,  who  are  under  Burmese  influ- 
ence, are  very  anxious  to  have  Bau-a,  (Mrs.  Milne's  Bghai  Ka- 
ren Missionary  from  Tounghoo)  go  and  teach  school  among  them. 
He  has  now  a  large  school  in  a  village  as  far  beyond  Kaypo-gyee. 
the  western  sanbwa,  as  Tee-tu--|ior)  is  from  town,  (two  days 
travel.)" 

This  old  Kaypu-gyee  is  an  inde})cndent  Prince,  having 
one  of  the  most  charming  countries,  full  of  teak  trees,  on  tin- 
lofty  table  land  of  the  Salwen.  All  the  Red  Karens  are  estima- 
ted at  about  200.000  ;  and  they  have  traditions  of  Se-a-pay. 
whom  they  say  created  the  world  and  to  whom  they  make  sacri- 
fices. Mr.  Mason  thinks  this  name  is  JcJiovah.  They  came 
down  from  China  or  Tartary,  they  say,  forty  generations  ago. 
and  they  are  quite  Shan-like,  having  mingled  so  much  with 
them. 

The  Saubwa  Kaypo-gyee,  with  his  sou,  the  heir  apparent, have 
called  for  female  teachers.  He  writes  me  that  if  I  will  send  him 
two  girls  from  the  Female  Institute  at  Tounghoo,  he  will  give 
them  every  protection,  and  cause  his  young  women  to  learn 
books.  Mr.  Mason  has  once  visited  this  land,  and  is  waiting  for 
me  to  accompany  him  on  another  visit  when  it  would  not  be 
very  difficult  to  penetrate  to  the  8han  women  beyond. 


A    NEW    DOOR    OPEN.  31 

I  scarcely  know  which  is  needed  most,  the  school  teachers 
mentioned  for  these  women  or  the  Bible  Readers.  Both  are 
needed  at  the  same  time,  and  they  would  help  each  other  inex- 
pressibly. The  Readers  would,  if  discreet,  loving  and  patient, 
wind  their  way  among  the  mothers,  while  the  school  would  en- 
list the  sympathies  of  the  young  women,  and  their  male  rela- 
tives. 

Mr.  Mason  had  often  spoken  on  the  subject  of  Bible  Read- 
ers in  Tounghoo,  and  the  desirableness  of  starting  out  a 
company  of  native  females  into  the  work,  to  go  from  house  to 
house,  from  hamlet  to  hamlet,  to  reach  and  explain  the  Scrip- 
tures directly  to  the  women.  But  as  I  was  compelled  to  leave 
unexpectedly,  no  plan  was  matured. 

I  had  determined,  however,  that  if  God  prospered  the  under- 
taking, to  get  out  teachers  for  the  two  schools  :  I  would  then, 
Providence  permitting,  enter  into  the  work  of  Bible  read- 
ing among  the  Burmese  and  Shan  women. 

On  reaching  London,  I  m9t  dear  Mrs.  Ranyard, — the  L.  N. 
R.,  of  "  The  Missing  Link,"  "  The  Book  and^  its  Story,"  &c., 
and  conversation  with  her  strengthened  me  to  make  an  applica- 
tion to  the  ladies  at  once. 

It  is  most  wonderful  how  much  good  God  has  enabled  this 
self-sacrificing  laborer  and  her  friends  to  accomplish. 

One  hundred  ladies  have  joined  her  as  Managers  or  Superin- 
tendents. These  ladies  each  select  from  among  the  uneducated 
class  the  best  women  they  can  find,  and  send  them  out  to  read 
the  Bible  and  sell  them  to  their  own  class.  They  have  now  two 
hundred  such  Bible  Women  in  England,  Ireland,  Scotland  and 
France,  and  they  are  meeting  with  unheard  of  success.  God  is 
crowning  the  work  with  his  own  blessing,  stamping  upon  it  his 
unreserved  approbation.  And  why  .^  Because  they  all  go  pray- 
ing, leaning  upon  the  strength  of  God. 

But  were  those  one  hundred  lady  Superintendents  to  leave 
the  field  where  would  it  be  ?  They  are  the  Engineers  of  this 
work — down  below,  out  of  sight — but  tending  the  fires,  watch- 
ing the  pressure,  and  keeping  all  in  motion. 

They  have  found  that  lower  strata,  on  which  they  are  working, 
as  our  Saviour  found  it,  and  have  gone  to  work  as  he  did,  admin- 
istering both  to  the  mind  and  body.    Mrs.  Ranyard  told  me  they 


32  A    NEW    DOOR    OPEN. 

made  soups  for  the  poor  in  the  winter,  and  sold  it  to  them  very 
low,  and  in  such  a  way  that  the  poorest  could  have  his  bowlful 
for  some  trifling  service,  and  while  one  is  serving  the  soup  others 
serve  them  with  portions  of  God's  Word.  Then  these  lady  Su- 
perintendents have  tea-meetings  without  number,  and  sewing- 
meetings,  and  clothing-meeting;?.  Besides  the  ladies  must  first 
instruct  their  readers  every  week  or  day  in  the  Scriptures, 
in  teaching,  in  meekness,  in  manner,  in  helping  the  sick,  and 
sympathizing  with  all  suffering  ;  and  above  all  teach  them  to 
lean  only  on  God — but  to  lean  without  doubting.  They  must 
also  pay  these  Bible  Women,  who  give  up  their  time  to  this 
work,  and  keep  an  account  with  each  one. 

Now  it  is  just  such  an  organization  that  is  needed  for  the 
heathen  women  of  Tounghoo.  A  jmrt  of  this  corps  of  Superin- 
tendents should  be  here  and  a  part  there,  in  the  field,  and  those 
who  go  forth  should  also  be  able  to  prescribe  for  the  sick,  I 
don't  see  why  one  hundred  ladies  of  this  country  should  not 
combine  their  sympathies  and  energies  together  in  the  same 
work,  sendiuir  two  of  the  number  to  o-et  out  and  direct  native 
female  readers  in  Tounghoo,  while  the  others  work  in  the  difier- 
ent  cities  here  ut  liome.  Those  here  could  conduct  a  little 
monthly,  and  we'd  talk  across  the  waters,  and  cheer  uj)  each 
other. 

These  lady  readers  or  superintendents  in  England,  publish  a 
monthly  of  their  own,  conducted  by  dear  Mrs,  Ranyard, 
so  that  they  can  all  communicate  Avith  one  another,  and 
God  sends  them  funds  to  the  amount  of  35,000  dollars  the  year. 


Note. — There  are  two  hundred  women,  drawn  from  tlio  poor,  wlio,  among  the 
worst  and  most  miserable,  read  the  Scriptures,  sell  copies  of  the  Bible,  (not  giving, 
as  that  tends  to  pauperize  and  degrade,)  at  the  rate  of  one  penny  per  week  or 
more,  pray  with  the  women  whom  they  visit — who,  exi)ecting  them  at  any  time, 
have  got  into  habits  of  cleanliness,  both  as  to  house  and  person,  quite  unknown 
before.  Each  of  these  women  is  paid  a  stated  sum  weekly,  has  a  district  of  her 
own,  and  is  under  the  eye  of,  and  responsible  to  a  lady  superintendent.  Of  this 
lady  class  of  workers  there  are  now  one  hundred  engaged.  They  are  truly  of  that 
"  upper  working  class  "  to  which  Lord  Shaftesbury  says  he  belongs.  These  new 
workers  have  been  raised  up  in  a  wonderful  way,  are  doing  a  wonderful  work,  and 
are  effecting  wonderful  results,  social,  moral  and  spiritual,  such  as  will  yet  astonish 
the  world. — [Scottish  Guardian. 


THE    GREAT    MISSIONARY    ENTERPRISE.  33 


There  is  one  strong  argument  in  favor  of  this  undertaking.  It 
would  not,  or  ought  not  to  come  into  collision  with  any  existing 
societies,  or  with  any  missionaries.  I  ask  to  have  the  experi- 
ment tried  only  in  Tounghoo,where  I  know  the  missionaries  would 
hail  it  with  delight.  Some  of  the  great  missionary  bodies  do 
not  wish  to  send  out  any  single  ladies,  do  not  desire  the  services 
of  ladies,  and  do  not  recognize  them,  either  as  missionaries,  as- 
sistant missionaries,  teachers,  or  readers. 

It  was  only  a  day  or  two  ago  that  I  met  a  lone  widow  from 
the  interior  of  India.  She  had  the  language  well,  was  in  perfect 
health,  and  would  gladly  lay  down  her  life  for  the  heathen,  yet 
she  is  called  home,  simply  because  she  is  a  widow. 

I  do  not  think  it  true  what  is  asserted  in  Europe  that  females 
have  not  so  much  freedom  in  the  States  as  in  England,  or  that 
those  of  my  own  denomination  have  less  than  those  of  other 
churches.  In  no  part  of  the  world  have  I  seen  gentlemen  more 
courteous  or  considerate  towards  ladies  than  in  my  native  land. 
It  is  true  the  ladies  of  America  do  not  think  and  act  for  them- 
selves as  our  sisters  do  over  the  Atlantic,  nor  as  freely  as  we  did 
a  few  years  ago.  In  this  great  missionary  enterprise,  women 
seem  to  have  thrown  all  the  toil  and  care  on  to  the  men,  taking 
themselves  much  the  same  place  that  they  do  among  the  Karens. 

I  was  in  the  mountains  one  Sabbath  day,  and  noticed  that 
none  but  men  came  up  into  the  chaj^el.  I  inquired  of  the  chiefs 
where  the  women  Avere. 

"  They're  here,"  he  answered,  pointing  over  to  another  nar- 
row floor,  about  two  feet  below  the  one  on  which  the  men  were 
seated.  And  sure  enough  there  they  were  huddled  together^ 
with  their  little  ones,  and  the  young  women,  like  a  timid  flock 
of  sheep  in  a  corner.     I  immediately  stepped  out  saying  : 

"I  am  a  woman.  These  are  my  sisters.  If  they  sit  down 
there  I  shall  sit  there  with  them.  Upon  this  the  chiefs  in  great 
astonishment,  called  them  all  up  to  sit  down  by  them.  But  they 
refused,  declaring  it  was  their  custom,  and  they  didn't  wish  to 
change  places,  because  tliey  must  put  on  better  dresses  if  they 
ivent  up  there,  and  of  course  woidd  have  to  ivorh  harder  I 


34  WHAT    CAN    WOMAN    DO 


It  is  as  plain  as  dayliglit  that  God  has  given  to  man  the  sceptre 
oi  authority  and  to  woman  the  wand  of  love  and  Inimility.  Who 
would  exchange  them  ?  Certainly  not  we  in  heathen  lands. 
Let  the  brethren  take  the  authority,  and  use  it  too.  We  couldn't 
revere  them  a,bit  if  they  didn't.  But  they  do  not  ask  us  to  sit 
down  on  the  door  sill.  They  are  ashamed  of  us  if  we  do  it.  If 
we  ask  it  meekly,  will  they  not  give  us  an  humble  place  beside 
them,  where  we  can  work  for  our  heathen  sisters — we  care  not 
how  unseen — but  as  accountable  and  individual  beings.  Could 
sons  of  the  Pilgrim  mothers  refuse  us  ? 

My  husband  says  woman's  mind  is  more  fruitful  in  suggestion 
than  that  of  man,  but  it  wants  man's  head  to  carry  out.  I 
think  he's  right,  and  more,  it  is  woman's  greatest  happiness  to 
feel  that  man  is  her  director  and  guide.  But  to  make  her  really 
happy  or  useful  in  this  world^  she  must  feel  that  she  is  in  some 
way  necessary  to  the  happiness  of  her  brothers.  If  they  cast  her 
off — say  they  have  nothing  in  the  world  for  her  to  do,  and  no 
place  for  her  labors,  she  feels  forsaken. 

Sometimes  indeed  the  thought  arises  that  Ave  are  forsaken  here 
in  this  bright  land,  for  where  now  are  the  Ladies'  Missionary 
Societies,  which  certainly  did  stir  up  to  activity,  faith  and 
prayer  ?  Vanished.  Where  the  funds  which  a  few  years  ago 
ladies  contributed  and  disbursed  for  themselves  ?  Given  to  the 
agents,  and  often  with  but  little  interest,  little  love.  I  don't 
say  claimed  by  the  agents  or  pastors  for  I  don't  believe  there  is 
an  enlightened  pastor  in  the  States  who  would  not  rejoice  to 
have  the  good  old  ways  revived.  They  know  how  much  their 
own  hands  were  strengthened. 

Where  now  the  female  missionaries  as  in  the  days  of  Ann  H. 
Judson  and  Harriet  Newel  ?  Vanished — although  missionary 
"  ^fives'' have  the  same  work  to  do  that  they  had  Avhen  they 
were  "  missionaries." 

Where  the  letters  of  women  laboring  in  heathen  lands  to  their 
sisters  at  home  ?     Vanished.     And  why  ? 

Because  missionary  ladies  generally  don't  like  to  talk  their 
''  women  talk,"  even  if  they  could,  through  periodicals  designed 
only  for  the  higher  use  of  men,  and  conducted  solely  by  men. 


WIDOWS    AND    SINGLE    LADIES.  35 

It  is  brought  as  an  objection  to  sending  out  young  women  and 
widows,  that  the  Church  anciently  chose  only  such  as  were  sixty 
years  old.  By  that  time  they  might  be  very  infirm  and  neerl  a 
pension  or  support  from  the  Church.  It  would  seem  as  if  that 
was  the  thought.  But  they  were  not  to  receive  any  such  atten- 
tions, unless  they  had  all  those  years  of  widowhood  "  relieved 
the  afflicted,  and  diligently  followed  every  good  luork."  Of 
course  enlightening  her  pagan  sisters  came  into  the  "  every  "  cat- 
alogue, especially  as  these  instructions  were  given  for  women 
surrounded  by  heathen. 

I  do  not  believe  the  apostle  who  recommended  Pliebe  as  one 
who  had  helped  a  great  many,  would  cut  off  all  widows  or  sin- 
gle ladies,  for  his  counsel  is  :  "  i  say  to  the  unmarried  and 
widoivs,  it  is  good  for  them  if  they  abide  even  as  I."  Why  ? 
Because  "  The  unmarried  woman  careth  for  the  things  of  the 
Lord,  that  she  may  be  holy  both  in  body  and  spirit,"  implying 
certainly,  that  she  would  have  more  time  and  opportunity  to 
work  for  the  church  than  a  married  lady. 


Some  hesitate  and  object  on  the  ground  that  young  ladies 
will  perhaps  wish  to  cliange  their  situation,  even  before  they  can 
do  much  good.  To  guard  against  this,  let  them  engage  on  the 
same  terms  that  they  do  under  the  Ladies'  Society  in  England, 
that  if  they  desire  to  leave  the  loorh  luithin  five  years, 
they  shall  he  at  liberty  to  do  so,  hvt  shall  refund  to  the  Society 
the  costs  of  sending  them  out.  This  secures  both  parties  from 
any  unpleasantness,  and  the  Secretary  of  the  English  Society 
says  : 

"  The  experience  of  the  Committee  has  amply  justified  the 
adoption  of  this  rule.  It  has  invariably  been  found  that  those 
agents  who  have  appeared  the  most  eminently  suitable  and  de- 
voted, have  been  the  most  ready  and  forward  to  accede  to  the 
engagement,  and  have  hailed  it  as  a  means  of  silencing  all  insin- 
ua  ions  of  having  acted  under  the  influence  of  worldly  and  selfish 
calculations.  The  sums  already  restored  to  this  Society  in  this 
manner  amount  to  £1614." 


36  FEMALE  EDUCATION  IX  THE  EAST. 

Some  of  these  ladies  I  have  met  in  Calcutta  and  Madras,  and 
I  have  invariably  found  that  if  they  had  settled  there  they  had 
done  it  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  were  now  laboring  with  their 
husbands  just  as  devotedly  as  they  were  before. 


Ladies  in  England  have  had  a  Society  these  twenty-five  years 
expressly  for  sending  out  and  sustaining  single  ladies  to  work 
for  heathen  women,  and  they  have  already  themselves  sent  some 
two  hundred  into  the  field,  a"f.  a  cost  of  many  thousands  of 
pounds.  It  is  the  "Society  for  Promoting  Female  Education  in 
the  East,"  suggested  by  the  sainted  Abeel,  and  encouraged  by 
the  Hon'ble  Baptist  Noel,  which  has  its  headquarters  in  London, 
but  auxiliaries  in  almost  all  the  great  cities  in  Great  Britain 
and  some  in  Germany.  The  Societies'  operations  are  conducted 
entirely  by  ladies,  and  it  has  teachers  in  China,  Burmah,  Africa, 
Egypt,  Turkey,  and  very  many  parts  of  India. 

These  ladies  publish  a  Female  Missionary  Intelligencer. 

"  Who  but  a  woman,"  asks  the  Hon'ble  B.  Noel,  "can  un- 
derstand the  heart  of  woman,  and  enter  into  all  her  difficulties 
and  discouragements,  and  bestow  the  tender  consideration  and 
the  appropriate  direttion  she  requires  ?  A  society  of  ladies  has 
this  additional  advantage  that  it  can  carry  on  its  deliberations, 
and  execute  its  plans  in  a  quiet  unobtrusive  manner,  suited  to 
the  subordinate  and  retired  position  of  the  objects  of  its  solici- 
tude." 

"  Even  were  the  existing  missionary  societies  able,  which  they 
acknowledge  they  are  not,  to  bestow  uj'jon  this  branch  of  the 
work  all  the  time  and  money,  and  exertion  that  it  deserved  it 
would  still  be  advisable  to  adopt  the  principle  for  which  we  plead 
— that  of  a  division  of  labor!' 

This  necessity  has  now  been  recognized  and  admitted  through- 
out Great  Britain,  and  there  are  now  three  large  ^parent  societies 
— one  for  all  denominations,  the  oldest  and  largest ;  one  for  the 
Free  Church  of  Scotland  and  one  for  the  Methodist  Church  of 
Ireland. 

This  too  opens  a  channel  of  communication  between  them  and 
those  who  go  forth  ;    while  here  in  America  there   is  nothing  of 


WORDS    FROM    ENGLAND.  37 

» 

the  kind,  and  ladies  Avorking  abroad  have  no  means  of  comnin- 
nicating  with  tliose  working  at  home  for  tlie  same  object.  At 
least  I  know  of  none  in  this  country. 


The  following  sweet  words  are  from  onr  sisters  over  the  wa- 
ter : 

''  Thousands  are  now  eager  and  willing  to  listen  to  the  gospel 
message,  to  whom  as  yet  it  comes  not.  Why  ?  Because  Christ's 
followers  are  too  straitened  in  heart,  too  cold  in  zeal,  to  spread 
abroad  those  tidings  ?  It  may  be  that  some,  while  professing 
much,  hold  back  because  that  blessed  message  has  never  been 
really  received  by  themselves  ;  but  to  those  who  haveheen  taught 
to  call  Him  by  that  sweet  word,  "  Kabboni,"  "  il%  Master," 
does  not  that  same  voice  call,  to  bid  them  hasten,  (as  Mary  did 
from  the  sepulchre)  to  tell  others  the  news  which  has  made 
them  glad  ? 

"  Too  often  content  with  enjoying  His  salvation  themselves, 
they  forget  to  arise  and  seek  to  make  it  known  to  others  ;  and 
many  whose  sympathies  and  efforts  are  ever  ready  for  their  own 
neighbors  and  countrymen,  are  slow  to  extend  them  to  those  of 
distant  lands.  Yet  the  message  is  for  those  poor  neglected  ones, 
as  truly  as  for  ourselves  and  our  neighbors  ;  and  could  we  once  fig- 
ure to  our  minds  the  state  of  the  benighted,  oppressed,  suffering 
women  of  India,  Burmah,  China,  or  Africa,  and  think  of  the 
helpless  and.  forsaken  ones  who  might  have  lived  and  died  faith- 
ful and  joyful  followers  of  Jesus,  but  that  lue  were  slow  to  con- 
vey to  them  the  tidings — that  many  of  our  dark  sisters  may  re- 
proach us  one  day  in  the  v>-ords  of  the  poor  Karen  Avoman  :  "Why 
did  no  one  come  to  tell  this  before  ?"  Oh,  let  us  press  onward 
not  discouraged  by  the  "many  adversaries"  we  must  needs  ex- 
pect to  find,  adversaries  without  and  within,  "  in  nothing  dis- 
couraged," but  secure  in  the  knowledge  that  God  is  with  us,  and 
that  His  cause  must  triumph  at  last  !" 

The  Secretary,  Miss  Anne  Rosamond  Webb,  who  wrote  the 
above,  is  a  most  devoted  laborer  for  heathen  women. 

She  writes  me,  "  How  glad  I  should  be  if  our  friends  in  Amer- 
ica would  form  a  sister  Society  to  correspond  with  us  on  this  all- 
important  subject  of  emancipating  heathen  women." 


38  MARTYR    WORK. 


It  is  of  course  known  to  all,  that  the  Protestant  Missions  in 
Burmah  are  connected  with  the  Am,  Bap.  Miss.  Union,  but 
need  this  hinder  our  sisters  of  other  denominations  from  joining 
in  this  blessed  and  deeply  interesting  work  ? 

God  has  opened  a  great  and  most  encouraging  field  in  Burmah, 
especially  in  Tounglioo.  He  has  sent  out  his  Gospel  Rangers,  His 
translators,  printers,  and  school-book  makers,  and  now  every 
thing  is  ready  for  Bible-women  and  female  teachers  to  enter  in, 
and  I  do  not  believe  there  could  he  one  noble-minded  leader 
of  the  Union,  of  the  American  Board,  or  of  any  other  of  the 
great  Societies,  who  would  raise  a  single  objection,  as  we 
would  all  act  together  as  an  auxiliary  to  the  Tounghoo  Mission. 
Ladies  could  then  direct  their  own  funds,  and  send  out  llieir  own 
sex  to  their  oiun  sex,  holding  direct  communication  with  them, 
and  yet,  under  the  patronage  of  gentlemen. 

This  is  martyr  work,  but  in  all  martyr  work  let  us  ask  a 
share,  and  I  am  sure  they'll  give  it  to  us.  There  is  missionaries' 
Avork  which  woman  cannot  and  ought  not  to  do.  There  is,  too, 
mission  work  that  man  cannot  do  without  coming  doivn  from  his 
higher  calling  and  degrading  himself. 


I  mentioned  working  together,  because  I  really  can  see  no 
o-ood  reason  why  we  should  not.  It  is  not  sectarianism  that  is 
wanted  for  the  nations,  but  a  knowledge  of  Christ  crucified  and 
his  precious  promises  impressed  on  the  mind  and  heart. 

There  are  very  many  daughters  of  Missionaries,  eight  or  ten 
of  whom  I  know  personally,  who  are  longing  to  return  to  Bur- 
mah and  instruct  those  heathen  women — young  ladies  admirably 
qualified  for  the  work,  some  of  wdiom  even  now  speak  the  lan- 
guage, and  would  be  so  thankful  for  the  opportunity  of  going. 
It  seems  a  very  hard  thing  that  they  must  be  denied  the  privi- 
lege. Only  the  other  day,  a  returned  Missionary  wrote  me  that 
two  of  her  daughteis  were  very  desirous  of  going  back  to  teacli 
the  Burmese  women.  They  were  well  prepared,  and  she  wished 
to  know  if  there  was  no  Ladies'  Society  that  would  send  them. 


APPEAL    TO    ALL    DENOMINATIONS.  39 

May  I  not,  then,  appeal  to  the  ladies  of  Christian  America, 
of  all  denominations,  and  ask  if  there  are  not  some  who  will  re- 
joice to  aid  in  this  important  and  hopeful  work  ?  Are  there  not 
some  who  will  feel  it  a  jyj-iviler/e  to  give  it  their  sympathies,  their 
prayers,  and  their  money  ?  Are  there  not  some  who  will  com- 
bine together  and  send  in  eacli,  one  dollar  for  this  purpose,  or  fe- 
male societies  already  existing  who  will  take  it  up,  and  send  out 
these  daughters  who  arc  longing  to  go  ?  Are  there  not  some 
who  would  be  glad  to  have  each  one  star  in  their  crowns  from 
Tounghoo  ? 

I  appeal  to  my  native  land — to  Baptists  and  to  those  who  are 
not  Baptists — to  members  of  churches  and  those  who  are  not 
members.  I  appeal  to  the  young  converts, — to  all  avIio  love 
Christ  and  who  are  awaiting  the  benediction  :  "  She  hath  done 
what  she  could."  I  appeal  to  you  because  it  is  peculiarly  a  work 
for  tvomen.  Because  it  is  a  great  work,  and  needs  great  hearts 
and  great  endurance. 


Since  coming  home  I  have  had  letters  from  several  friends  ex- 
pressing their  warm  sympathies  in  the  undertaking,  and  hope- 
fullness  of  its  result. 

One  kind  friend  writes  me  that  she  apprehends  the  only  obsta- 
cle with  her  Society  will  be  the  different  versions  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

Would  I  could  annihilate  all  hindrances  to  the  emancipation 
of  our  pagan  sisters.  Sometimes  when  I  think  what  trifles 
break  the  flow  of  holy  sympathy,  I  long  for  Heaven  where  creeds 
and  differences  will  vanish  away.  For  my  own  part,  I  would  put 
a  Douay  Bible  into  the  hands  of  a  heathen  if  I  could  get  no 
other,  and  should  hope  he'd  get  light  enough  to  save  him,  too. 
In  Tounghoo  the  converts  know  only  one  broad  mark — "  Is  he  a 
disciple,  or  is  he  not  ?" 

Of  course  it  would  be  ruinous  to  set  these  young  converts  to 
disputing  about  the  different  versions  of  God's  Holy  "Word,  but 
Mr.  Mason  is  translating  into  Bghai  many  portions  of  the  Scrip- 
tures for  the  Calcutta  Bible  Society,  which  is  auxiliar}'-  to  the 
Brit,  and  For.  Bible  Soc.     He  does  not  translate  the  whole  for 


40  BISHOP  Wilson's  words. 

them,  but  maDy  parts.  And  what  I  i)roposeis  this — that  if  any 
of  the  sisters,  not  connected  with  the  Baptists,  will  unite  in  this 
work,  Mr.  Mason  will  select  from  the  Burmese  Bible  the  same 
portions  which  the  Brit,  and  For.  Bible  Soc.  i)atronizes  in  Ka- 
ren. These  could  easily  be  bound  together,  and  the  Keaders 
should  limit  their  distribution  and  their  readings  entirely  to  those 
parts  ;  and  these  contain  hioicJcdge  enoiigh  to  save  any  heathen 
soiil  from  death . 

That  sainted  Father,  Bishop  Wilson,  whose  heart  was  as 
large  as  the  world,  made  some  striking  remarks  one  morning 
while  I  was  breakfasting  with  him,  about  as  folloAvs  :  "I  used 
to  think  we  must  keep  to  the  old  ways,  but  I  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  Christians  ought  to  work  together  in  everything 
just  as  far  as  they  can,  and  in  sympathies  and  labors  for  the 
heathen  it  is  our  pi- ivile(je  to  be  united."  And  he  acted  in  ac- 
cordance with  his  high-minded  sentiments,  for  he  immediately 
handed  me  a  check  for  a  hundred  rupees  to  my  contemplated 
school.  If  the  ladies  Avould  take  up  this  subject,  I  know  Mr. 
Mason  and  Mr.  Cross  would  be  delighted  to  keep  them  informed 
of  the  progress  of  their  sappers  and  miners  among  the  powers 
of  darkness. 

It  will  not  be  asked  in  Heaven  whether  the  Tounghoo  women 
were  saved  by  Episcopalians  or  Congregationalists,  Dutch  Re- 
formed, Presbyterians,  Methodists  or  Baptists,  but  all  may  be 
sure,  if  they've  any  stars  there,  they'll  be  set  up  in  their  crowns 
of  glory.  Friends  in  India,  don't  ask  this  question,  for  the  work 
of  evangelizing  Tounghoo  has  been  supported  almost  entirely  by 
Christian  Officers  an(^ Civilians  who  were  no  Baptists  at  all. 

Another  friend  writes  :  "  If  there  were  women  on  the  ground, 
he  feels  sure  the  ladies  of  his  Society  would  undertake  their  sup- 
l^ort  to  almost  any  number,  '  but  to  what  extent  they  will  as- 
sume the  responsibility  of  sending  o%it  ivomen  for  the  jDurpose,  I 
cannot,"  he  says,  ■'  conjecture."  I  answer,  the  women  are  not 
on  the  ground — that  is,  only  a  very  fcAv.  Female  Readers  must 
r/o  and  raise  up  the  native  help)ers — and  if  this  cannot  be  done, 
I  dispair  of  all  hope  for  the  women  of  Tounghoo,  and  the  words 
of  the  poor  Burman  Avill  be  made  true,  who  came  several  miles 


"all  is  gone,"  41 

to  hear  of  Christ,  on  our  first  going  to  that  region.  After  listen- 
ing with  patient  attention  for  more  than  an  hour,  she  replied  : 

"  I  think — I  think  I  shall  believe — your  words  sound  good. 
Somehow  they  seem  to  make  my  heart  light.  But  you  are  go- 
ing away.  How  can  we  believe  .^  If  there  was  only  somebody 
to  instruct  us.  The  sun  has  risen  a  little  way  up,  but  when  you 
leave,  it  will  sink  back,  and  all  is  gone." 

Oh,  can  I  ever  forget  that  heathen  woman  as  she  gazed  up- 
ward, with  tears  falling  down  her  care-worn  face  ?  Or  the  ut- 
ter hoj)elessness  of  her  eye  when  her  hands  fell  drooping  in  the 
attitude  of  despair,  as  she  uttered  ^^ All  is  gone!" 

Oh,  my  God,  let  not  the  blood  of  these  heathen  mothers  and 
daughters  be  found  on  me  !  Let  them  not  cry  to  me  in  the  great 
assembling  of  eternity  ! 

In  less  than  one  hundred  years  these  troops  of  interesting  wo- 
men, who  came  to  see  me,  will  be  dead — all  the  25,000  Burmese, 
Shan  and  Talaing  women  of  Tounghoo  will  be  dead — the  three 
millions  of  heathen  women  in  Burmah  will  be  dead — I  shall  be 
dead — you  Avill  be  dead — the  members  of  your  churches  and  so- 
cieties will  be  dead — and  what  a  meeting  shall  we  have  if  we  let 
them  perish  ! 

Why  will  not  the  young  converts  enlist  in  this  plan  for  the 
redemption  of  their  pagan  sisters  ?  Within  two  or  three  years 
God  has  so  greatly  blessed  America  !  I  appeal  to  you.  Christian 
sisters,  if  he  has  not  greatly  blessed  you  ?  and  would  it  not  be 
delightful  now  to  make  him  a  thank- oiFering  ? 


When  the  Lord  forgave  Mannassah,  he  not  only  cast  away  his 
idols,  but  he  brought  a  thank-offering  to  the  Lord .  Perhaps 
you  have  already  made  your  thank-offerings.  So  had  Jacob 
built  a  great  many  altars,  but  when  God  told  him,  after  a  great 
deliverance,  to  go  and  build  another  altar  right  in  the  midst 
of  the  heathen,  he  did  it — that  they  might  hear  of  his  Wonder- 
ful Deliverer. 

I  can  never  think  of  tha*ik-offerings,  but  that  beautiful  story 
of  Hannah  comes  up. 


42  "  SHALL    BE    DONE." 

When  God  heard  her  prayer,  and  granted  her  petition,  she 
did'nt  forget  it.  See  her  carrying  her  darling  boy — as  soon  as 
ever  he  was  weaned — up  to  the  temple,  and  leaving  him  there  as 
a  loan  to  the  Lord  I  How  lovely  !  And  Elkanah,  was'pt  he  a 
noble  soul  ?  "  Do  what  seemeth  thee  good,"  he  says  so  triist- 
ingly  to  his  wife — and  he  did'nt  forbid  her  the  bullocks,  or  the 
flour,  or  the  wine. 

Then  how  light  that  mother's  heart,  as  she  started  off  to  car- 
ry the  little  fellow  his  pretty  coat  every  year  !  and  what  tears 
of  holy  joy  must  have  filled  her  eyes  as  she  remembered  that 
her  thank-offerino"  to  God  was  something  that  she  valued  as  her 
own  life. 

It  would'nt  require  but  2,000  names  to  do  all  that  I  have  ask- 
ed for  Tounghoo.  If  just  2,000  women  would  start  out  on  the 
one  dollar  system — make  an  extra  loan  to  the  Lord  of  $1  00  a 
piece,  and  then  bring  up  their  little  coats  of  a  dollar  each  with- 
out fail  every  year,  the  work  would  be  done.  They  could  send 
out  and  support  two  Bible  Readers  from  this  country  who  could 
reach  Rangoon  in  eigltt  weeks — who  Avould  go  with  the  four 
native  readers  for  them — with  their  messages  right  to  the 
doors  of  those  heathen  women,  and  continue  going,  for  they 
would'nt  have  to  leave  the  work  as  mothers  do  to  attend  to  other 
business.  And  they  could  send  with  them  a  teacher  for  the  Bur- 
mese Training  School,  and  support  her  Avith  two  assistants  per- 
manently. 

Oh,  if  Christian  ladies  would  take  hold  of  this  work  just  for 
five  years — I  ask  only  to  have  it  tried  for  five  years — with  earn- 
nestness,  with  perseverance,  with  faith,  and  prayer — would  they 
not  dig  up  some  precious  jewels  from  Tounghoo  for  their  Mas- 
ter ?  Yes,  verily — for  "  As  the  rain  cometli  down  and  returneth 
not  ao:ain,  but  watereth  the  earth  and  maketh  it  brine:  forth  and 
bud,  so  shall  3Jy  Word  he,  and  it  shall  2^ros2:>er  in  the  thing 
whereto  I  sent  it." 


OUR   STRENGTH   IN   GOD.  43 


I  know  that  "  The  wisdom  of  this  world  is  foolishness  with 
God,"  and  that  all  our  jplans,  if  we  trust  in  them,  are  but  spi- 
der's webs,  but  the  11th  chapter  of  Hebrews  was  not  given  for 
nothing,  and   we   have  a  Counsellor  the  Wonderful. 

"  To  them  that  have  no  might  he  inereaseth  strenijth,"  and 

"  Though  he  be  high,  yet  hath  he  respect  unto  tlie  lowly." 

The  same  God  who  said  to  a  wrestling  man,  "  I  am  God  Al- 
mighty," said  "  Mary"  to  a  sorrowing  woman.     And 

^^  That   I  have  spoken  shall  he  'performed^'  saith  the 

'■'  Faithful  Promiser." 


Hear  Dr.  Duff's  sentiments,  addressing  the  Ladies'  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  of  Scotland  : 

"  In  the  department  of  Female  Education,  whose  intrinsic 
importance  cannot  be  over-estimated,  it  will  be  seen  that  our 
Mission  is  at  last  beginning  to  make  decided  j^rogress.  At  all 
our  stations  Ave  have  now  one  or  more  female  schools,  and  I  beg 
to  be  distinctly  understood,  that  for  these  not  a  single  f earthing 
is  taJcen  from  the  general  Hiss  ion  Fund.  It  is  due  to  the  La- 
dies' Society  that  this  fact  should  be  clearly  apprehended.  That 
Society  I  have  alw^ays  regarded  as  a  constituent  member  of  our 
great  Mission  Scheme,  without  which  we  should  now  be  painful- 
ly hobbling  on  one  leg,  instead  of  walking  steadily  on  tAvo. 
Your  place  now  and  your  responsibilities  in  the  great  Mission 
Scheme  of  our  Church,  are  clearly  set  before  you.  You  have 
undertaken  to  do  for  the  one  sex  that  ichich  the  Foreign  3Iission 
Scheme  is  doing  for  the  other.  Therv  can  he  no  more  mistake 
ahout  that  noiu..     Without  you  the  Mission  would  be  one-sided 


44  DR.  duff's  sentiments. 

and  incomplete.  You  supplement  what  was  wanting  to  it.  You 
act  not  in  antagonism  either  abroad  or  at  home  to  the  other  side 
of  the  Scheme.  The  funds  of  the  foreign  Mission  and  of  your 
Society  meet  in  the  Treasiu-ies  of  the  Mission  Boards  abroad, 
and  are  thence  distributed  in  fertilizing  streams  over  that  portion 
of  the  vineyard  which  is  given  to  each  to  cultivate. 

Realize  then,  Ladies,  your  high  calling  and  the  magnitude  of 
your  undertaking.  Let  the  ladies,  to  whose  devoted  labors  and 
patient  continuance  in  well-doing,  the  Church  is  so  much  in- 
debted for  the  maintenance  and  furtherance  of  all  her  schemes, 
not  be  wanting  in  this  grace  also,  one  of  the  most  seemly  and 
suitable  they  can  possess — that  of  dedicating  themselves,  and 
their  influence,  and  their  means,  to  rescue  their  oivn  sex  from  the 
thraldom  af  a  cruel  bondage  and  a  degrading  superstition.  The 
work  to  be  done  is  a  great  work,  both  at  home  and  abroad.  We 
want  more  givers.  We  want  more  collectors.  We  want  more 
teachers.  We  want  more  prayers  and  perseverance,  and  working 
and  praying,  and  praying  and  working,  for  this  good  cause." 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Duft"  arc  both  engaged  now  in  this  work.  He 
says  :  "  Our  school  for  high-caste  Brahmin  girls  is  coming  up 
wonderfully.  We  have  now  fifty  pupils,  and  opposition  is 
breaking  down." 

Every  one  knows  that  Dr.  Duff  is  at  the  head  of  the  great 
Duff  Institution,  for  young  men,  and  yet  he  can  condescend  to 
go  to  work  for  degraded  women.  The  Lord  bless  him,  and  all 
those  noble-souled  brothers  who  are  not  ashamed  to  face  oppo- 
sition and  help  the  weak. 


CHRISTIAN    MOTHERS    AND    THEIR    CHILDREN.  4$ 


©iljiVJ^tian  lilii0ttoii:^  mvA  lUm  €MUxm. 


An  Orient  morn  is  gushing, 

O'er  the  hills  and  jungle  glades, 

And  an  Orient  sky  is  blushing- 
Through  the  palm   trees'  lofty  shades, 

Hear'st  the  roll  of  the  Sepoy's  drumming  ? 
The  bugle  sounding  loud  ? 

With  the  hum  of  the  maidens  coming; 
To  the  tank  in  a  tawny  crowd  ? 

Yes,  with  the  home-tones  blending, 

On  the  lawns  and  the  ancient  wall, 
While  turbaned  brows  are  bendina'. 

Where  the  coco  shadows  fall  ; 
While  silk  ^a^soes  are  fluttering, 

And  sandaled  feet  go  by, 
And  pagod  bells  are  uttering 

New  strains  of  minstrelsy.   . 

And  see  now  the  bulbouls  ranging, 

Brightening  the  mango  trees  ; 
While  the  sun-birds  lightening,  changing, 

Arc  wreathing  the  fragrant  breeze. 
0  yes,  and  the  limes  are  blowing, 

And  the  champacs  waving  bright  ; 
And  the  rivers  in  rainbows  elowino- 

Are  ringing  :     -'  'Tis  light  !   'tis  light  !" 

Yet  we  mothers  heed  little  these  pleasures, 

Our  children  are  our  dearest  flowers. 
Our  roses — our  waters — our  treasures — 

Soft  claiming  the  loveliest  hours. 
Nor  do  love-vigils  ever  fling  o'er  us 

Paleness  or  sorrowing  ; 
'Tis  the  2^cirtings  licart-hrecikincj  before  us. 

That  trembling  and  shadowing  bring. 


46  CHRISTIAN    MOTHERS    AND    THEIR    CHILDREN. 

These  dear  little  ones  we  so  cherish, 

Now  flashing  with  love  and  delight, 
0  will  they,  when  earth-treasures  perish, 

In  bliss  greet  our  fond  eager  sight  ? 
Or  will  our  sweet  flowers  then  be  riven, 

And  scattered,  lie  withering  away  ? 
Be  torn  from  the  glories  of  heaven, 

Eternally  banished  from  day  ? 

With  fears  and  with  yearnings  here  sighing, 

We're  waiting  for  pitying  Love — 
Save  !  save  them,  0  God  !  we're  crying 

To  bloom  in  thy  gardens  above  ! 
And  lo,  while  in  agony  pleading, 

Faith  clinging,  though  shattered  and  driven. 
Love,  pointing  to  Hands  ever  bleeding, 

Soft  whispers  :   ''  lly  jeiveh  in  heaven." 


HEATHEN    MOTHERS    AND    THEIR   CHILDREN,  47 


§atlm  Putlur^  hm&  thm  §kMxm, 


Mournfully,  fearfully, 
Lonely,  distrest, 

Falteringly,  tearfully, 
Children  unblest 
Are  seeking  their  rest, 
With  no  mother's  breast 
To  gladden  their  eyes, 
Or  quiet  their  sighs. 

From  the  buffalo  fight, 
From  bazaar  or  the  race. 

When  almost  night,  ^ 
With  a  Aveary  pace. 
The  mother  comes  home, 
Her  blood  in  a  foam, 
All  anger  and  gloom, 
Dread  as  a  tomb  ! 
Now,  what  screeching  ! 
And  tearful  beseeching  ! 
Neighbors  flocking, 
0,  so  shocking  ! 

And  now  through  the  lattice 

Look  on  the  floor, 
Where  that  old  mat  is, 

Close  by  the  door. 
Quickly,  for  0  ! 

A  scene  will  appear, 
Little  Meemboo 

Kneeling  in  fear  ! 
See  her  lips  tremble, 

Her  eyes  how  they  stare  ! 
And  what  may  resemble 

Her  burnt  matted  hair  ? 


48        HEATHEN  MOTHERS  AND  THEIR  CHILDREN. 

There  !  there  the  dread  mother 

Screaming  around — 
The  liard  heathen  mother, 
While    the  poor  little  brother 
Lies  on  the  ground — 
Crushed  down  to  the  ground. 

0  Saviour,  appear  ! 
Pity,  and  hear 

The  children's  wild  cry 

Ascending  the  sky  ! 
The  soul-thrilling  moans, 
The  deep  muffled  groans. 

That  roll  o'er  the  strand 

Of  this  guilty  land  ! 
Lo,  yonder  she  drags 

The  child  to  a  boat. 
Flings  her  some  rags, 

And  soon  is  afloat. 
Where  will  she  carry  her 

All  in  a  shiver  ? 
Will  she  not  bury  her 

Down  in  the  river  ? 
No,  no,  she's  meeting 
And  fiendfully  greeting 

A  wretch  in  the  wild  ! 
Ha  !  what  is  she  telling  .^ 
0  God  !  she's  selling 

Her  poor  little  child  ! 
Ah,  will  he  then  take  her — 

A  lamb  to  the  slaugher  ? 
And  can  she  forsake  her 

Her  own  little  daughter  ? 

Her  dear  little  daughter  ? 
Departed — departed — 

Meemboo's  a  slave, 
To  weep  broken-hearted 

Down  to  the  grave— 
Or  with  a  brigand, 


HEATHEN    MOTHERS    AND    THEIR    CHILDREN.  49 

Away  to  his  clan. 
In  the  wild  robber  land 

Of  dark  Martaban  !" 
Again  that  mother 

Turns  to  her  boy, 
Think  of  it  sister, 
Think  of  it  brothei", 

A  mother  desti'oy  ! 
She'll  watch  and  she'll  teucli  him 

Compassion  is  vain. 
Till  no  mercy  can  reach  him, 

And  ho'll  revel  in  pain. 
She'll  learn  him  to  fight, 

She'll  learn  him  deceit, 
That  hatred  is  right, 

That  revenge  is  sweet  ; 
She'll  lead  him  to  light 

Never — 0  never — 
But  down  into  night, 

Till  he's  lost  forever. 

Aye,  forever! 

*]Meemboo  was  Mrs.  Howard's  pupil,  having  been  redeemed  out  of  slavery  by 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Howard,  then  of  Maulmain,  much  to  the  chagrin  of  the  cruel  mother, 
who  did  herself  sell  her  child  to  a  man  of  the  robber  haunt  of  Martaban. 


50  ANSWER    TO    OBJECTIONS. 


To  the  Editor  of  the  Exariviner : 

Will  you  let  me  say  a  word  to  those  sisters  who  liave  read  the  strictures  in  your 
paper  on  my  appeal  for  Bible  Readers  for  the  women  of  Tounghoo,  which  I  saw 
first  to-day.  If  I  knew  who  the  friend  was  that  wrote  tliose  strictures,  I  would  go 
and  see  him,  because  a  few  points  he  has  misapprehended.  Tounghoo  is  a  mission 
of  itself,  independent,  as  I  have  understood  Mr.  Mason,  of  all  other  missions.  I  did 
not  suppose  it  was  necessary  to  get  the  authority  of  other  missions,  especially  as 
my  husband  was  the  only  missionary  in  the  Province  when  I  left.  The  writer 
thinks  I  belong  to  a  Karen  mission  only.  I  don't  know  how  that  is.  I  know  Mr. 
Mason  has  always  felt  himself  at  liberty  to  work  for  the  Burmese,  and  has  done  so 
very  extensively,  and  he  speaks  the  Burmese  language  as  well  as  the  Karen.  Then 
aaain,  there  are  25,000  heathen  women  in  Tounghoo,  and  not  a  soul  to  speak  fo 
them  of  a  Saviour's  love,  or  rescue  them  from  the  agonies  of  eternal  death.  I  did 
not  think  it  would  be  sinful  in  me  to  try  to  help  them. 

The  writer  says  missionaries  "have  appropriations  for  native  assistants."  They 
have,  it  is  true,  all  that  the  churches  provide,  or  send  in  to  the  Board  for  this  pur- 
pose ;  but  Mr.  Mason  has  200  native  assistants  in  the  Karen  department  alone,  and 
last  year  his  appropriations  amounted  not  quite  to  fifty  cents  apiece  !  Not  a  cent 
for  our  fifty  Karen  female  assistants  ;  not  a  cent  for  the  Burmese  men  or  women. 
The  heathen  women  of  that  whole  Province  are  dying  and  perishing  eternally. 

Some  complain  that  I  came  without  authority.  Had  the  missions  sent  one  to 
the  churches,  they  would  have  sent  a  man  of  course.  I  did  come  without  authority 
in  my  own  poor  name,  because  I  appealed  only  to  women  and  for  women.  In 
England,  Scotland,  Ireland  and  Germanj'^,  females  are  allowed  to  organise  societies 
of  their  own,  and  send  out  teachers  and  readers  of  their  own  sex. 

To  those  who  doubt  Mr.  Mason's  views,  I  would  say  he  knew  nothing  of  my  ap- 
plication for  Bible  readers,  as  I  came  home  expressly  for  teachers  for  the  Institute 
and  Burmese  training  school.  The  thought  of  Bible  readers  for  the  Burmese  wo- 
men had  often  occurred  to  me,  but  it  was  not  until  I  met  Mrs.  Ranyard  in  London- 
that  I  determined  to  try  now  for  that  object.  I  have  no  doubt  but  Mr.  Mason  will 
give  the  plan  his  warmest  support. 

He  writes  Dr.  Warren  : 

"  Perhaps  Mrs.  Mason  will  be  with  you,  when  this  reaches  you.  Please  aid  her 
in  her  plans  for  female  education,  and  send  her  back  to  her  work  as  quick  as  pos- 
sible." 

It  is  possible  that  others  in  Burmah  might  even  disapprove  of  the  plan  proposed. 
It  is  certain  it  has  not  been  tried  to  any  extent,  and  there  are  not  one  thousand 
converted  Burmese  women  in  all  Burmah — at  least  I  think  not.  Ought  not,  then, 
something  to  be  tried  1  If  not  Bible  readers,  something  else,  by  which  these  wo- 
men shall  hear  the  gospel  so  as  to  understand  it. 

ELLEN  B.  MASON. 

Brooklyn,  July  5th,  18*00. 


yjauloyd  ■ 

PAMPHtET  BINDER 

^^^    Syracuse,  N.   Y. 
IZZ^    Stockton,  Calif. 


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